Idiot died protecting hot shot's secure starting position (8)
I believe the answer is:
foothold
'secure starting position' is the definition.
'foothold' can be an answer for 'position' (I have seen 'Initial position ' mean 'foothold' so perhaps 'position' could also mean 'foothold'). I am unsure of the 'secure starting' bit.
'idiot died protecting hot shot's' is the wordplay.
'idiot' becomes 'fool' (both can mean a stupid person).
'died' becomes 'd' (abbreviation next to the year of someone's death).
'protecting' means one lot of letters goes inside another (inserted letters are held or protected).
'shot's' indicates an anagram.
'fool'+'d'='foold'
'hot' is an anagram of 'oth'.
'foold' enclosing 'oth' is 'FOOTHOLD'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for foothold that I've seen before include "Purchase" , "Small area captured and held as the basis for subsequent advance" , "Secure first position" , "Secure position from which progress can be made" , "Initial position from which to make progress" .)