скрытый_шах - Chess Term Definition & Strategy

скрытый_шах (Discovered Check)

Definition

The Russian phrase «скрытый шах» (transliterated skrytyj shakh) literally means “hidden check.” In English-language chess literature it is known as a discovered check. A discovered check occurs when a piece moves away, uncovering a line of attack from another piece that now delivers check to the opponent’s king. The moved piece may simultaneously create its own threat, producing one of the most forcing motifs in chess.

How It Works

All discovered checks have three essential elements:

1. A masking piece (the one that moves). It initially blocks the line of a queen, rook, bishop, or even another knight.
2. A checking piece whose line of sight is unveiled.
3. The king on the same line (file, rank, or diagonal) as the checking piece.

Because the opponent must address the check on the very next move, the masking piece is often free to create an independent threat—capturing material, giving a second check, or even delivering mate.

Strategic Importance

Discovered checks are prized for their tempo gain; the checked king’s forced reply gives the attacker a “free” move with the masking piece. Well-timed discoveries can:

• Win heavy material (e.g., uncovering a rook’s check while the moving bishop captures an unguarded queen).
• Lead directly to mate, especially when combined with a second, simultaneous check (double check).
• Break down a seemingly solid position; opponents often overlook the latent danger of a lined-up battery.

Historical and Cultural Notes

Early writers such as Gioachino Greco (17th century) already featured discovered checks in their manuscripts. The tactic became a hallmark of the Romantic Era (19th century), when open games and sacrificial play dominated. Russian texts traditionally use “скрытый шах,” while Soviet literature sometimes preferred the shorter “скрытый.” Many celebrated combinations—Légal’s Mate, the Immortal Game, and myriad Marshall Gambit attacks—hinge on this motif.

Classic Examples

1. Légal’s Mate (Saint-Brie, 1750)

A textbook double-discovered check—White uncovers the queen’s attack on d8 and gives check with the bishop.

2. Anderssen – Kieseritzky, “The Immortal Game”, London 1851

On move 19 White sacrifices his queen; the follow-up 22. Be2+ is a devastating discovered check that drives Black’s king into a mating net.

3. Kasparov – Anand, World Championship (Game 10), New York 1995

Kasparov’s 28.Nf5!! unleashed a discovered check from the bishop on g2. Although the check was parried, the unleashed initiative eventually decided the game—proof that discoveries remain lethal even at the highest level.

Common Tactical Patterns

• Rook & Bishop battery on an open file: the bishop moves, revealing the rook’s check.
• Queen & Bishop on the same diagonal: moving the bishop unveils the queen’s long-range check.
• Knight discoveries: a knight hops away to give a discovered check from a rook or bishop and simultaneously forks material.
• Pawn discoveries: less frequent but spectacular—e.g., an advanced pawn captures en passant to reveal a rook’s attack.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• The only legal reply to a double check (a special case of discovered check where both pieces give check simultaneously) is to move the king; interpositions or captures of just one checking piece do not suffice.
• In correspondence chess, players sometimes annotate a discovered check with “Sk.”—short for the Russian «скрытый».
• Discovered checks are a favorite motif in chess composition; entire problem genres (e.g., Grimshaw interference) revolve around setting up or thwarting them.

Practical Tips

• Look for aligned pieces: your own rook/queen/bishop lined up with the enemy king but blocked by a friendly piece.
• Before executing, calculate forcing lines—sometimes the uncovered check can be met by an unexpected in-between move.
• When defending, be wary of apparently harmless pieces in front of batteries; a single quiet move can unleash havoc.
• Study classic games and tactical puzzles featuring discoveries; pattern recognition is the quickest route to mastery.

Mastering «скрытый шах» equips the player with one of chess’s most powerful and elegant weapons—an ambush that turns the element of surprise into concrete advantage, and often, into a swift checkmate.