Overloading in chess: how it works
Attack two targets defended by the same piece so it cannot protect both.
Overloading happens when one enemy piece is carrying too many defensive responsibilities. When you attack two different things that both depend on that one piece, it cannot save them all.
A piece that is overloaded is ripe for exploitation. The typical pattern is to attack the overloaded piece first, forcing it to capture or move, and then grab the thing it was also defending.
Overloading is very common in the endgame, where pieces are spread thin. But it shows up in the middlegame too, especially when one piece (often a queen) is asked to defend multiple pieces and squares at once.
Overloading examples
Black rook defends both the queen on d6 and the back rank
The black rook on d8 is overloaded: it must defend the queen on d6 AND guard the back rank against checkmate. White plays Rxd6, forcing the rook to recapture (Rxd6). Now the d8 square is abandoned. White plays Rf8# - checkmate! The overloaded rook could not do two jobs at once.
Attack two targets at once to expose the overloaded defender
When the opponent has one piece doing all the defending, attack something else it is also responsible for. Here white threatens both the a8 rook and creates threats on the h6 square. Whatever the single defender covers, white takes the other. Overloading the queen is a very common way to win material in the middlegame - find the piece doing two jobs, then attack both jobs at once.
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