Day 234: Winning exchange
Target rating: 908
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: king to c2 (d1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b5 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (f3·22)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: pawn to f3 (e2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f2 (g2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (f4·52)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c2 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a8 (h1·25)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: rook to h3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g2 (e1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b7 (a6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to e6 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to f7 (f1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: bishop to e5 (b2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: pawn to e4 (d3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: king to g2 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h4 (h8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: rook to c8 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: knight to d2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h8 (b2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: bishop to f2 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: knight to g3 (e2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Fork: bishop to d5 (c4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to c4 (b3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to e5 (e4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 235 →