Day 255: Winning exchange
Target rating: 926
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: queen to a4 (d1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c3 (d2·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to e5 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: pawn to b3 (a2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f6 (a1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (f4·60)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (g3·42)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c5 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c3 (b2·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a5 (b3·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g2 (f1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to e6 (g4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d6 (a3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: knight to e4 (c3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: bishop to f6 (h4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to b5 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to g8 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h8 (a1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e6 (e1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e8 (a8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e4 (h1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Fork: knight to e4 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h4 (h1·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g6 (b1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 256 →