Day 212: Winning exchange
Target rating: 873
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 g3 (h2·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b5 (f1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d4 (e3·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (e4·33)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g3 (h2·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c5 (d4·29)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h4 (h1·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a5 (d2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: bishop to g2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c4 (d3·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: rook to f4 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to f6 (d5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: bishop to g7 (b2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e4 (g3·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: bishop to c5 (g1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a7 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h8 (h1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (e4·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f7 (b3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c1 (a1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e4 (c3·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (f4·88)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: bishop to c7 (f4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to f1 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a1 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 213 →