Day 285: Winning exchange
Target rating: 974
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 d3 (e2·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b5 (e2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f6 (a1·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f7 (e5·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: king to f1 (g1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to a5 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c3 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e4 (b1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d6 (e5·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b4 (e1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (e4·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: pawn to b5 (c4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to b8 (b5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: bishop to c5 (g1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: bishop to b7 (h1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Discovered attack: knight to f6 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: knight to h4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Pin: knight to f3 (e5·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Fork: bishop to f2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: king to f1 (g1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: king to g1 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: king to f1 (g1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: king to f3 (g2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e3 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to h5 (h4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 286 →