Day 3: Royal fork
Target rating: 603
Lesson of the day
A royal fork is a fork with check — one of the two targets is the king itself. The check must be answered first, so nobody is left to rescue the second piece. Look for squares where your piece gives check and simultaneously attacks an undefended queen or rook. It is the most reliable fork of all, because your opponent literally has no choice.
Warm-up
1. Mate in 1: queen to g2 (d5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
2. Fork: knight to c5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 1: queen to f1 (f2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
4. Skewer: rook to g4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 1: queen to h7 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 2: queen to f8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Back-rank mate in 1 on d8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g7 (f5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e5 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to b8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Fork: knight to e2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Fork: knight to e7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Fork: knight to e2 (c3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Fork: knight to d4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 1: queen to g2 (c6)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: rook to f8 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Skewer: rook to a5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 1: queen to h7 (d3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Discovered attack: bishop to d4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 1: rook to h5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Back-rank mate in 2 on a1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
26. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g6 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c8 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b6 (a7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 4 →