attack · recognise → explain → apply

Use a central knight to support a queen invasion

The queen’s attacking square needs support from a central knight.

Explanation styleChoose any style. Age is not playing strength; no birth date is needed.

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Garry Kasparov – Lajos Portisch

Niksic · 1983.08.28 · 1-0

21... Kxg7 · White to move

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What to notice at 21... Kxg7

Kasparov played 22.Ne5 before Qg4+ and Qf5. The knight’s central activity connected with the queen’s forcing approach to Black’s exposed king.

A legally replayed historical example, not a claim that every move is best. A game’s result does not prove every defensive position was lost or drawn.

Game source ↗

Your thinking first

Name the signal, choose a plan, and test the opponent’s most challenging response.

What do you notice?What is your plan, and why?How could the opponent resist?

Recall and explain

1. The queen’s attacking square needs support from a central knight. How would you apply “use a central knight to support a queen invasion”, and which defensive reply must you check?

Explain it in your own words before revealing.

Make it memorable

The knight draws the queen’s landing zone.

Teach this to a friend in one minute. Then return to a different example and look for the same signal without being told its name.

Reflect and revisit

This is your self-assessment, not an engine grade or a promise of mastery.

Connect the ideas

Practise pawn transformations →

Sources and further reading

Original LumaChess teaching and game analysis. Topic references are credited below; no affiliation or endorsement is implied.