Day 287: Winning blow
Target rating: 827
Lesson of the day
A winning blow is a forced material gain that does not fit a single textbook motif. The general tactical recipe applies: spot loose pieces, an awkwardly placed king, overloaded lines. Go through the forcing moves in order of violence — checks, captures, threats — because most combinations start with one of them. Do not judge by feel: calculate the concrete line until the outcome is beyond doubt.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (d4·85)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b5 (a4·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to a3 (b2·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to h4 (f5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c4 (b3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f5 (e3·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e4 (g3·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e4 (e1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c6 (c1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e5 (h8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: knight to h1 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to f5 (h4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: queen to f8 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: bishop to c5 (g1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: knight to d5 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b8 (a7·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: bishop to f7 (a2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f5 (f1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: knight to e6 (f8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: pawn to f4 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: knight to e6 (g7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: bishop to a6 (b7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to g8 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to b6 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (e4·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
26. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d5 (e4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c5 (f2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d8 (d4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 288 →