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Double Check: The Most Powerful Move

A Double Check occurs when a King is attacked by two different pieces at the same time. This is often achieved by moving a piece that gives check, which simultaneously opens a line for another piece to give check (a discovered check).

Nimzowitsch famously called the double check "the most powerful move in chess" because the opponent must move the King. They cannot block both checks, nor can they capture both checking pieces at once.

Double Check Examples

A double check occurs when two pieces give check at the same time, usually after a discovered attack. Because the king is attacked from two directions simultaneously, there is only one possible response: the king must move. The following examples show how double checks arise in practical play and why they are such a powerful forcing weapon.