Overloaded and Overworked

Hola!  As some of you may know, I am a new mother!  Having a baby is hard work, even though mine is super cute.  Sometimes Mrs Jessica E Prescott (aka BoundingOwl) feels overworked, especially now that school is starting again!  Well, when someone is overworked, something must go.  In my case I'm not going to work full time and I'm probably not going to play in tournaments for a while.  That's a little sad, but it's okay because I have a beautiful baby boy who is lots of fun and who I like spending time with.

 (Baby BoundingOwl)

 

In chess, it's not so sweet.  If a piece is overworked or overloaded (same thing, different word you might hear) it can't defend everything it wants to.  Something must go!

 

 

Watch in this example how the black pawn on c6 wants to try to defend two pieces, but cannot!  Both pieces are under attack.

 

 

 

 

 

The pawn is overloaded.  When white captures the bishop and the pawn recaptures, no one guards the knight!  The white bishop will take the knight for free.

Now you try!

First, figure out which white piece is doing too much.  Next, find the best move for black!  Here's a hint:  a strong white piece is guarding another piece, and a checkmating square.  Take away one and she can't guard the other!

 

 

 

 

 

This puzzle is white to move.  That means one of black's pieces is overworked!  Which one is it, and what should you do?  (Hint:  Now black is guarding a piece and a checkmate square...)

 

 

 

 

 

White to move again.  Which black piece is overloaded?  (Hint:  Take the lesser valued piece first!)

 

 

 

 

 

Black to move this time.  One of white's pieces is overworked!  Find black's best move.  (Hint:  Which way should you take?  Look at what might happen next!)

 

 

 

 

Great work!  This is a tricky tactic since there are really two parts to each question: 1.  Which piece is doing too much?  2.  How do I exploit that piece?  I hope you find some of your opponent's overworked pieces next time you play, and EAT them!  I mean...not literally... 

Tip of the week:  Use all of your pieces so no one is doing too much work by him/herself.