Day 312: Winning exchange
Target rating: 1001
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 e4 (f3·26)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to e3 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to f5 (f1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to h6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b4 (c3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b5 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b7 (a6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b8 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f3 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b3 (a2·25)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Fork: knight to d7 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to d7 (c7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to h4 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e2 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b3 (a4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e8 (e2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: knight to h6 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to c8 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e8 (e1·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: bishop to d2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g6 (g5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c8 (c1·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: bishop to a6 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e7 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: rook to b7 (b8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 313 →