What can be Done

Some more wisdom from GM Yuri Averbakh, who manages to state simple things succinctly in his "Chess Tactics for Advanced Players". What to do when a piece is attacked?

There are 4 and only 4 possibilities:

1. Move it
2. Defend it
3. Block the line of attack
4. Counterattack something of equal or higher value

You might think 5. Ignore it! is also an option, but this is really a special case of point 4. This is the one that usually gives me most trouble; from my earliest days as a Chess player I was warned "cross-attacking is always dangerous!". Usually it is, but good tactics, as with most things, comes from understanding when 'the exception proves the rule'.