Tactics · Learn
X-Ray Attacks
In an x-ray (or "through" attack), a rook, bishop, or queen exerts pressure through an enemy piece to something beyond it: either winning the piece behind once the front one moves, or defending through an enemy piece.
How to spot it: look along your long-range pieces' lines even when an enemy piece blocks them. What lies beyond? A skewer is one kind of x-ray; so is defending your own back rank through an invading enemy rook.
How to spot it: look along your long-range pieces' lines even when an enemy piece blocks them. What lies beyond? A skewer is one kind of x-ray; so is defending your own back rank through an invading enemy rook.
Now spot it yourself
A real position: find the move. This is exactly what the drills in the app do, banded from beginner to expert.
How this lesson is made: this public explanation comes from the authored Strong Squares curriculum. Automated checks protect its chess data, source fields and learning flow. Independent chess-editor approval remains part of the private-preview release process. Read the teaching method.