Step 8: Club Player · about 25 min
Discovered Attacks
Goal: Kids can move one piece out of the way to uncover an attack by another, and know what a double check is.
You need: Demo board · One board and set per pair
1 · Teach it (15 min)
Read these out loud, or put them in your own words. Show each board on screen or set it up on a demo board.
1.“A discovered attack is a hidden attack. One piece stands in front of another, like a curtain. When the front piece moves, the piece behind suddenly attacks.”
2.“Here the knight is the curtain. If it moves, the rook gives check. So the knight can go anywhere it likes, and Black must deal with the check first. Knight to c6 attacks the queen, and next move the knight takes it.”
3.“The best discovered attacks come with check, because the opponent has no time to save the other piece. That's two attacks in one move.”
4.“If the front piece ALSO gives check, it's a double check. Two pieces check the king at once. You can't block two checks or capture two pieces, so the king must move.”
- Moving the front piece to a square where it gets captured, when another square also attacks something.
- Missing the opponent's discovered attacks (use CCA: look at lined-up pieces).
2 · Play it: Curtain Call (10 min)
Set up: Normal game in pairs, or this lesson's extra puzzles.
- Play a normal game. When you set up a 'curtain' (your piece in front of your rook, bishop or queen, aiming at an enemy piece), say 'Curtain!'.
- A discovered attack you actually play scores a bonus point. A discovered CHECK scores two.
3 · Practice and pass check
On iPads, kids open Student → Step 8 → Surprise Attacks. On paper, print the worksheet. A kid passes by getting 2 of 3 on the pass check. The pass code for this lesson is S8-L1-8H.
🧩 Extra puzzles: 60 real puzzles from lichess.org for kids who finish early: the Extra puzzles button in student mode, or tick Extra puzzles on the worksheet page (8 per set).
Practice (3) with answers
1.Move the knight to uncover a check AND attack the queen. Draw an arrow or write the move.
Move: Nc6+ or Nc4+
2.What is a double check?
- ✓Two pieces check the king at the same time
- Checking the king twice in a row
- Checking both kings
3.In a double check, what must the king do?
- ✓Move
- Block one of the checks
- Capture one of the checkers with another piece
Pass check (3) with answers
1.The bishop is a curtain in front of your rook. Uncover the attack on the queen, with check! Draw an arrow or write the move.
Move: Bxh7+
2.Black: find the discovered attack that wins the queen. Draw an arrow or write the move.
Move: Nc5+ or Nc3+
3.Why is a discovered attack WITH CHECK so strong?
- ✓The opponent must answer the check, so they can't save the other piece
- Checks win the game right away
- Only rooks can do it
Topic order based on: How to Win at Chess, ch. 9–11 (intermediate tactics). All wording is original.