Day 205: Knight fork
Target rating: 862
Lesson of the day
A fork is one move that attacks two targets at once, and no piece forks better than the knight. Look through the knight's eyes: it jumps in an L and never moves along straight lines, which is exactly why its threats get missed. Both victims of a knight fork always stand on squares of one color, while the knight strikes from the opposite color. Hunt for the square from which the knight hits the king and a heavy piece at once.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h5 (f3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b8 (a7·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h8 (h4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c5 (d4·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (f5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d1 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·56)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a5 (b3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to h2 (f1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (d3·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b5 (c3·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c6 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e5 (d3·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: knight to f6 (d5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: knight to e6 (c7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to d8 (e8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: knight to e1 (f3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to e7 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: pawn to c5 (d4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b8 (b1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to f1 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: pawn to e3 (d2·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Fork: knight to g3 (h5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b2 (a2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: knight to f5 (g3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 206 →