Ultra-effective chess tactic whereby a diagonal piece (i.e. a bishop or a
queen) attacks 4 opponent pieces at the same time, so that the attacked pieces form an X-shape between each other, thus (according to legendary chess grandmaster xQc) resembling a wooden shield. The best move in response to the wooden shield tactic is considered to be resignation, as computers are yet to find a position where any response to the tactic doesn't lose
on the spot. The tactic is considered to be
incomprehensible to inexperienced players and even grandmasters, and only exceptionally high-IQ individuals with an IQ of 107 over are considered to be capable of
understanding it.
Coined by prominent proponent of the Bing-Bang-Boom chess philosophy GM xQc, the wooden shield is an essential part of the theory behind the Flying Dragon, Knight variation, as well as the Flying Dragon, I Take Your Pawn variation openings, which build upon the idea that early pawns don't matter - an idea repeatedly corroborated by top-of-the-line engines and neural nets such as AlphaZero.
