From Mark Weeks,
Your Guide to Chess.
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The power of the double attack is well known in chess tactics. Forks, pins, xrays (skewers), and discovered checks are all strong moves because they attack two pieces at the same time.

Less well known is a similar concept that applies to positional moves. All other things equal, a move that achieves two objectives is better than a move that achieves only one; a move that achieves three objectives is better than a move that achieves only two; and so on. We like to call this the 'Principle of Maximum Usefulness'.

What do we mean by a move that achieves two objectives? • Let's say a move attacks one of your opponent's pieces. That's one objective. • Then let's say the same move protects one of your own pieces. That's also one objective. • A move that attacks an opponent's piece at the same time it protects your own piece achieves two objectives.

This concept is an especially useful principle for comparing two similar moves. For example, in the initial position, the moves 1.e4 and 1.d4 look very similar. They both

• Plant a Pawn in the center,
• Open a diagonal for a Bishop, and
• Make space for the Queen.

At the same time they are different in significant ways.

• 1.e4 hinders 1...d5 and stops 1...f5, while
• 1.d4 stops 1...e5 and hinders 1...c5.

The difference is even more striking if we compare them to bad first moves like 1.a4 or 1.h4.