I consider chess to be the art of making multiple purpose moves. A nice example is the Reti manoeuvre. In the endgame, you are often on the lookout for moves that bring you closer to two targets at the same time.
In the middlegame, you look for moves that accomplish two things at the same time. At least, that is how it should be.
In tactics, you have motifs that are solely based on dual purpose moves, like a double attack or a discovered attack.
These tactics have in common that they provide good visible salient cues. You can see them by just zooming out.
But there is a category of moves that are more difficult to SEE. I dubbed them the tempo moves
For instance:
- exchange
- additional punch
- stepping out a threat
- stepping into a threat
- trading off a hostile piece that is threatening you
Let's have a closer look to find out whether these moves are heralded by salient cues too. The list is in no particular order, I'm just brainstorming.
Stepping out of a threat
What is the difference between 1.Rxb8 and 1.Qxb8?
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| Diagram 1. White to move |
1r3bk1/Q3q2p/p2p2p1/P1pbp3/2N1P3/2P5/6PP/1R3BK1 w - - 0 1
[solution]
Exchange
An exchange has two elements. Of course you get a piece, but your attacker steps into a threat too.
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| Diagram 2. Black to move |
1Q6/8/p4qpk/2pB3p/PpP5/1P1r2Pb/7P/4R1K1 b - - 1 1
Additional punch
An exchange obliges the opponent to take the piece back. But sometimes you need to give the move an additional punch. Here the additional punch is aiming at the invasion square d7. Without the additional punch the combination will not work due to the counter threat.
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| Diagram 3. White to move |
2r3k1/1b1p3p/p3p1p1/1pq1p3/6PQ/2Nr4/PPP4P/1K1R3R w - - 0 1
[solution]
An additional punch is a new threat. There are a lot of moves that can be executed by the grace of an additional threat. For instance the preparatory moves like the clearance and targeting lean heavily on the addition "with tempo". Otherwise the combination is often not possible.
Trading off a hostile piece that is threatening you
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| Diagram 4. Black to move |
6k1/pp1r2p1/2p1p3/5pR1/2P3nP/1P2qNPK/PQ4P1/8 b - - 1 1
[solution]
When you zoom out, the eagle is able to find what should be done. The salient cues give that away. But then there is the next question: how to do it. The tempo moves give an answer to that. You probably have to steel a tempo somewhere. That can be by a certain tactical motif (like double attack) or by a tempo gaining move. We know the tactical motifs and are able to recognize them by their salient cues. But the tempo gaining moves are not well known. That is the focus of our investigation.
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