A clearance sacrifice gives up material to vacate a square, file, or diagonal so that another of your pieces can occupy or sweep through it with decisive effect.
Sometimes the only thing stopping a winning move is one of your own pieces sitting in the way. Clearance removes that obstruction — even at the cost of material — so the key square or line opens up for the piece that really matters.
It can clear a square for a piece to land on, or clear a line so a rook, bishop, or queen can fire down it. The sacrifice is justified because the move it enables is far stronger than the material given up.
Clearance is closely related to deflection and decoy, but the focus is different: here you’re removing your own piece to make room, not luring the opponent’s. Asking ‘what if this square were empty?’ is how you spot it.
A move that gives up material to empty a square or line so another of your pieces can use it with greater effect than the material cost.
Clearance removes your own piece from a square or line; deflection lures an enemy piece away from a duty. Both aim to free up a decisive move.
BetterChess is a practice tool — we make no guarantee you'll reach 1800 or any rating. Definitions are standard chess terminology; every diagram position is checked legal with the same engine the board runs.