Counterthreat

A counterthreat is a threat made when the opponent already threatens something. Rather than replying only with protection, the player creates a new danger and expects it to be more urgent. It may attack the queen, threaten mate, prepare a winning capture, or create a promotion threat.

The idea depends on tempo, which here means one move's worth of time. If the counterthreat forces the opponent to defend, it can gain a tempo and prevent the original threat from being carried out. But if the opponent can answer with a move that saves the target and creates another threat, the idea may backfire.

How to test it

1. State the opponent's threat as a concrete action rather than a general impression.
2. Check what happens if the opponent carries it out immediately.
3. Look for the best dual-purpose reply, one that meets your threat while preserving the original one.
4. Compare the final position after the forcing replies.

A counterthreat need not grow into a prolonged counterattack. It may be a single tactical move. It is not always a defensive move either: if it does not actually neutralize the original danger, it merely ignores it.