Day 188: Winning exchange
Target rating: 851
Lesson of the day
A winning exchange is a forced series of captures on one square that leaves you ahead in material. It is pure arithmetic: count the attackers and defenders of the square and note the value of every piece in the queue. Capture in the right order — cheap pieces first, expensive ones later — or a winning trade turns into a losing one. The classic error is stopping the count halfway and missing the opponent's final recapture.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b5 (a4·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c3 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: king to b2 (c1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g4 (g1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (d4·54)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (f3·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f7 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f4 (c1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to a4 (b3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d8 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d7 (c5·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f6 (a1·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c4 (e3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to c2 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d6 (h2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 1: rook to f1 (f2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: knight to a2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to e5 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d5 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to a5 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: rook to e8 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g1 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: bishop to f6 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: knight to d6 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to f7 (g8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 189 →