Clearance

There is a very desirable square you would like to move a piece to, but your own piece is blocking your way. Therefore, you must find a way to 'clear' the blocking piece out of the way.

Fieberg    --    Zaid
   1973     1-0


BR :: :: BB BB ::
WP BQ :: BK
WQ :: BP :: BP
:: BP WP BP BP WP
:: WB :: WP :: ::
:: WB :: ::
:: :: :: WP ::
WR :: :: WK


1.Bxe5+!!
to open path for dP so that it can be cleared from d5 to take advantage of black's difficulty on a8
1...dxe5 2.d6 Bxd6 3.Bd5 Bb5
( 3...Rxa7 4.Qxa7 Qxa7 5.Rxa7+ )
4.Qxb5 Rxa7 5.Rxa7 Qxa7 6.Qe8
now the black K is a liability
6...c4+ 7.Kh2 Qc7 8.Qg8+ Kf6 9.Qe6+ Kg7 10.Qg6+ Kf8 11.Qxh6+ Ke8 12.Qg6+ Kd7 13.Qe6+ Kd8 14.Qg8+ Kd7 15.h6 c3 16.h7 Qd8
( 16...c2 17.Qe6+ Kd8 18.h8=Q+ Bf8 19.Qxf8# )
17.Qxd8+ Kxd8 18.h8=Q+ 1-0

Schweber    --    Quinteros
   1969     1-0


BR :: :: BR BK ::
:: :: :: BP ::
BP :: BB :: BP WQ BP BQ
:: :: :: ::
WB :: WP :: ::
:: WN WR :: ::
WP WP WP :: :: WP WP
:: WK :: :: ::


1.Nd5!!
with the N off c3, white takes devastating control of the diagonal
1...exd5
( 1...Bxd5 2.Rh3 Qg7 3.Bc3 )
2.Rh3 Qg7 3.Bc3 d4 4.Bxd4 1-0

Mikenas    --    Polugaevsky
   1966     0-1


:: BR BR :: BK ::
:: :: :: BP BP BP
BP :: BB :: BP BN ::
BQ BP :: ::
WP :: WB :: WP WQ ::
WR WP WN :: WP ::
:: :: :: WP WP
:: WR :: :: WK


1...Rxd3!!
tries to clear way for c4 after which Qc5+ is very dangerous
2.Bxd3
( 2.e5 Nd5 3.Qc1 Nxc3 ( 3...Rxc3 4.Qd2 Qc7 5.Rxc3 Nxc3 6.Qxc3 Bxa4 ) 4.Bxd3 Nxb1 5.Bxb1 ( 5.Qxb1 c4 6.Bxh7+ Kh8 7.Ra2 g6 ) 5...c4 )
2...c4 3.Qd6 Ne8 4.Qb4 Qxb4 5.cxb4 cxd3 0-1

Dimitriescu    --    Nagy
   1936     0-1


BR :: BQ BR BK ::
BP BP :: BB BP BP BP
:: BN :: :: ::
:: WP :: ::
WN :: BP BN :: ::
:: :: :: WP
WP WP WQ WB WP WP WN WP
WR :: :: WR WK


1...d3!!
makes Nd4 possible
2.exd3
( 2.Qxd3 Qxd3 3.exd3 Nxd2 4.Rfd1 Nd4 ( 4...Nf3+ 5.Kh1 Rad8 6.Nf4 Nce5 ) 5.Rxd2 Nf3+ )
2...Nd4 3.Qd1 Nxd2 4.Qxd2 Nf3+ 0-1