🚪 Practice Clearance puzzles
Vacate a square or line so another piece can use it.
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About Clearance
A clearance sacrifice or clearance move gets one of your own pieces out of the way so a more important piece can use the square, file, rank or diagonal it was blocking. Timing is everything: the clearing move usually has to come with a threat, because you are momentarily giving something up. Clearance unlocks batteries, opens lines to the enemy king, and frees a key square for a knight or queen. These {count} clearance puzzles train you to notice when your own pieces are in each other's way and how to remove them with tempo.
Frequently asked questions
What is clearance in chess?
Clearance is a tactic where you move or sacrifice a piece to free a square or line for another of your pieces to exploit with decisive effect.
What is a clearance sacrifice?
It is giving up material specifically to vacate a key square or open a line, usually while making a threat so the opponent cannot ignore it.
How is clearance different from deflection?
Clearance moves your own piece out of the way; deflection forces an enemy piece off its duty. Both open the door to a follow-up tactic.
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