Tactic Any phase Rating <1000

Undefended Piece

An undefended (loose) piece is a knight, bishop, rook or queen that no friendly piece protects. "Loose Pieces Drop Off" — LPDO: when a piece is loose and one of your pieces attacks it, you simply take it for free, because there is no recapture. Spotting loose pieces, yours and your opponent's, is the single most common source of tactics.

Practise Undefended Piece ▸Study this concept Get a training plan

Source for further study: Nunn, Secrets of Practical Chess (LPDO).