631 real-game puzzles in this collection
What is a intermezzo (in-between move)?
An intermezzo interrupts an apparently forced sequence with a stronger in-between move — usually a check or a bigger threat — before recapturing. The extra tempo often wins material outright.
How to spot it
Before any automatic recapture, scan every check and mate threat available instead. If one exists, calculate it first — the recapture usually still waits for you afterwards.
What this set trains
Intermezzo sets break the auto-recapture reflex, one of the most common calculation leaks at every level.
Foundation: 45Developing: 133Challenging: 172Advanced: 281