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The 1000-day course

Day 319: Discovered attack

Target rating: 1012

Lesson of the day

A discovered attack works like a curtain: one piece steps off the line and unveils the long-range piece behind it. The beauty is that the moving piece can create a second threat of its own — two attacks in one move. Look for your stacked pairs: a bishop or rook behind a knight or pawn, aimed through them at something valuable. Send the front piece to the most aggressive square — a discovery without a second threat wastes half its power.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: king to e2 (d1·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: pawn to d4 (e3·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to b4Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e1 (c1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: pawn to c4 (b3·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to c5 (e4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to b5 (c3·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: pawn to c3 (b2·9)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to a5 (a8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b3 (c5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: knight to b6 (d5·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to f6 (a1·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: pawn to g5 (h4·8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: knight to c6 (d4·7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Double attack: knight to e2Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Pin: rook to a5Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to f2Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to e6 (f6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to d6 (c6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Discovered attack: knight to f4 (d3)Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: bishop to f5Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: queen to a6 (a3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e6 (d5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: knight to b5Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: rook to d8 (b8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Castling-960 to the rescue on b1 (d1·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Castling-960 to the rescue on h8 (f8·4)Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e4 (h1·12)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f2 (f1·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: queen to c7 (b8·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 320 →