The double attack

Step 1

A double attack creates two threats with one move. The strongest kind joins a check to an attack on a loose piece: the check must be answered first.

Step 2

White to play: check the king and win the knight.

White to move.

Step 3

Look for loose pieces, the ones nothing protects: they are the natural targets of a double attack.

Step 4

Which double attack is the hardest to meet?

1. A check joined to an attack on another piece
2. Two attacks on protected pawns
3. An attack on a piece that can simply move