Day 167: Absolute pin
Target rating: 817
Lesson of the day
An absolute pin freezes a piece on the line between its own king and your long-range attacker: moving it is simply illegal. The pattern is three units on one straight line — your bishop, rook or queen, an enemy piece, and the enemy king behind it. A pinned piece neither attacks nor defends anything: treat it as if it were off the board. Pile up on it, ideally with a pawn, because running away is against the rules.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: pawn to d3 (c2·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to d1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g4 (f3·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a4 (c2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a5 (e1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e4 (g5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to c5 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a5 (e1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f5 (b1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b4 (e1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (a1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: pawn to f3 (e2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to a6 (c7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to a5 (b4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e6 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: knight to f5 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a4 (c5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to f5 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: knight to d7 (f6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: bishop to b5 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a8 (a4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to a1 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: bishop to g6 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to h5 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to g8 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 168 →