Definitions: Removal of Defender

It's past time I got on with these definitions! Removal of defender is more direct than decoying - which usually doesn't (or only incidentally) involve a capture - and can perhaps be considered a simple form of annihilation of defense which I'll look at next.

Removal of defender: A defending piece is captured. The time lost recapturing leaves an unprotected target which is also captured and lost.

Reinfeld position 475

White to move

The target is the Knight at f4. After 1. dxe5 Black must play 1. ... Qxe5 to maintain two protectors. Then by removing a defender with 2. Nxd6, after either 2. ... cxd6 or 2. ... Qxd6 the Knight is lost to 3. Qxf4 or 3. Bxf4.