Advanced tactics
Deflection
Force a defender away from the square or piece it was guarding.
What is the deflection?
Deflection means forcing an enemy piece off the job it is doing — usually defending a key square, a back rank, or another piece — by attacking it or offering it something it cannot refuse. Once it is dragged away, your real threat lands.
Why the deflection matters
Most "how did I miss that" tactics are deflections. A position looks defended, but the defence rests on a single overworked piece; remove it and everything falls. Training this teaches you to question every defender rather than trust it.
How to use it to win
Identify the one piece holding the position together, then find a check, capture or threat it must answer. The classic version is a back-rank win where you deflect the rook guarding the first rank, then mate.
Try an example puzzle
A real deflection puzzle from the app. Black to move — find the idea, then reveal the line.
2 
7 
g 
e 
d Show solution
1. ... Re1+ 2. Rxe1 Qxd5
Drill the deflection on thousands of real puzzles, matched to your rating.