Week 2 · 60-minute lesson · Ages 8–10

Safe Captures

Learn to spot free captures and fair trades. Solve ten puzzles on your own.

Beginner10 worked examples10 student puzzlesWorks offline

What is a safe capture?

A capture takes an opponent’s piece. A safe capture is one that follows the rules, keeps your king safe, and does not give away more material than it gains in an immediate exchange. A piece that nobody protects is called hanging (or loose).

Think before you take: “Can they take me back? If they can, is my capture still worth it?” Sometimes a captured rook or bishop is defended—but taking it is still a good trade if you use a less valuable piece.

Piece-value helper

Piece	Pawn	Knight	Bishop	Rook	Queen
Approximate points	1	3	3	5	9

The king has no material point value: you must never make a move that leaves your king in check. Piece points are a quick guide, not a complete rule for every chess position.

Your safe-capture routine: LOOK → CHECK → COUNT

LOOK — Which enemy piece can I capture? Is the path clear?

CHECK — Is my king safe? Who guards the target square? Can the opponent take my capturing piece back?

COUNT — If they recapture, compare what I win with what I lose. Check the next move before touching a piece.

10 worked visual examples

Worked example 1 · White to move

A rook takes a loose bishop

Try first: Is the bishop protected?

Rxa6

Capturing piece: White rook on a3
Target: Black bishop on a6

The bishop has no defender. The rook can take it without losing the rook.

Worked example 2 · White to move

A knight jumps onto a rook

Try first: Can a knight take a bigger piece?

Nxe5

Capturing piece: White knight on f3
Target: Black rook on e5

Knights jump over squares. No black piece can recapture the knight on e5.

Worked example 3 · White to move

A bishop takes a loose knight

Try first: Follow the open diagonal.

Bxf4

Capturing piece: White bishop on c1
Target: Black knight on f4

The c1–d2–e3–f4 diagonal is clear, and the knight is undefended.

Worked example 4 · White to move

A pawn wins a bishop

Try first: Which way can this pawn capture?

dxe5

Capturing piece: White pawn on d4
Target: Black bishop on e5

Pawns capture diagonally. The bishop is undefended, so the pawn wins three points of material.

Worked example 5 · Black to move

Black can capture safely too

Try first: Which white piece is loose?

Rxb4

Capturing piece: Black rook on b7
Target: White bishop on b4

The b-file is clear and no white piece protects b4. Notice that Black is shown at the bottom.

Worked example 6 · White to move

Losing a rook can still be a good capture

Try first: What happens after the pawn recaptures?

Rxd6

Capturing piece: White rook on d1
Target: Black queen on d6

Black can recapture the rook with the c7-pawn. White wins a queen (9) for a rook (5): a four-point material gain.

Opponent’s reply: cxd6.

Worked example 7 · White to move

An equal trade is not a free win

Try first: Who guards e5?

Bxe5

Capturing piece: White bishop on b2
Target: Black knight on e5

Black’s f6-pawn can recapture the bishop. Each side loses a three-point piece: an equal exchange, not a free knight.

Opponent’s reply: fxe5.

Worked example 8 · White to move

A pawn-for-pawn exchange

Try first: Is the pawn on d5 truly free?

exd5

Capturing piece: White pawn on e4
Target: Black pawn on d5

Black can recapture with the c6-pawn. Both sides lose one pawn, so it is an equal material trade.

Opponent’s reply: cxd5.

Worked example 9 · Black to move

Black spots an undefended rook

Try first: Where can the black knight land?

Nxd2

Capturing piece: Black knight on e4
Target: White rook on d2

The knight jumps to d2 and captures a five-point rook. No white piece can immediately take it back.

Worked example 10 · White to move

Choose the safe capture, not the tempting one

Try first: There are two captures. Which one is safe?

Nxh5

Capturing piece: White knight on f4
Target: Black bishop on h5

Nxh5 wins an undefended bishop. Qxd5? looks tempting, but the c6-pawn guards d5 and can take the queen.

Tempting mistake: Qxd5? cxd5 would lose the queen for a pawn.

Safe-capture checklist

Is it my turn, and can this piece legally capture the target?
Will my own king still be safe after capturing?
Who defends the target square? Can they recapture?
If they do recapture, how many points do I win and lose?
Can my opponent give check or win my queen instead?

Key message: Free capture = gain material without a recapture. Equal trade = win and lose equal value. Favorable exchange = win more value than you lose.

Your 10 exercises

For each puzzle, write the safest capture. Hints are optional; no exercise solutions are included in this file.

Puzzle 1 · Very easy · White to move