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The Decoy: Luring the Opponent

A Decoy (or Attraction) is a tactical motif where you force an opponent's piece—usually the King or Queen—to a square where it becomes vulnerable. By offering a sacrifice that cannot be refused, you lure the victim into a fork, pin, or skewer. Learn to identify the "poisoned" squares that make this tactic possible.

Decoy Examples

A decoy is a tactical idea where a piece is lured onto a specific square so that it becomes vulnerable or blocks its own side. The decoyed piece is then exploited through checks, captures, or follow-up tactics such as forks, pins, or discovered attacks. The examples below show how forcing moves are used to place an opponent’s piece exactly where it hurts most.