Day 125: Trapped piece
Target rating: 766
Lesson of the day
Trapping a piece means the attacked piece has no safe square left — it simply perishes. Do not chase it around; build a cage instead: cut off the escape squares with pawns and pieces first, and attack last. The typical victim has wandered deep into your camp or is stuck at the edge of the board, where its mobility is tiny. And always check the way home for your own raiders — or the trapped piece will be yours.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: pawn to g4 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (e4·48)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b4 (a3·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h8 (e5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f6 (e5·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to e8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e5 (d3·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: rook to c5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·84)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d7 (e6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b4 (c3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: queen to d3 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d5 (b3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: bishop to e5 (a1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (e4·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b7 (c6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d3 (e2·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d4 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a8 (h1·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c4 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e8 (d6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (e4·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d3 (c2·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
26. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e3 (f4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g4 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e8 (e6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 126 →