Tactics: Battery

A battery is an offensive tactic where 2 or more pieces can move and attack along a shared path, situated on the same rank, file, or diagonal. 

• Batteries on the ranks or files are made up of either Rooks only, or Rook(s) and a Queen.
• Batteries on the Diagonals are made up of either Bishops only, or a Bishop and a Queen.

The purpose of a successful Battery Attack is to either:

1. Increase the focus of power onto a single point or enemy piece that is blocking access to the enemy's King.

2. Build up a majority of powerful pieces, in order to gain in the exchanges.

Below are several diagrams of 
positions involving the battery tactic.

A green colored box represents the Attacking Piece(s)
A blue colored box represents the Path of Attack
A red colored box represents the Target(s) of the Attack

Diagram 1

Battery attack with dual rooks   

 

Battery Tactic Problem #1

Below is a real life example of a game where black was losing materially, but managed to use a battery attack to win the game and swindle his opponent out of a much deserved win. 

Game Information

--Black's 34th move was setting up the final cell of the battery on E8.

--White's 35th move in the game was a pawn capture on the G4.

Problem 1: What is black's 35th swindle move?

Problem 2: How could white respond to black's 35th move?

Problem 3: What is black's 36th move and checkmate after white misses its chance to win?

Problem 4: What lessons do we learn from both black's technique and from white's negligence? 

Bonus Problem: If white and black both played their best what is white's quickest checkmate strategy?

Click here for the answers to problems 1-4. (Not yet posted :-)