Learn How to Intermezzo: Tactical Refutation
This middlegame puzzle is a classic example of an intermezzo, where the strongest move is not a routine recapture but a forcing tactical shot that changes the order of events. The key idea is to exploit a hanging piece and create a direct threat that wins material or improves the position immediately. In practical classical chess, these moments often decide the game because the opponent’s last move has left a tactical weakness that can be punished at once.