Day 333: Winning exchange
Target rating: 1035
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: knight to f2 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to b5 (a7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to f3 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b5 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (f7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: bishop to c3 (a1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: bishop to e1 (h4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: bishop to c2 (g6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: knight to d4 (f3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to e4 (f4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d3 (e2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f4 (e4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f6 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to d4 (f2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a5 (c3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to e4 (c2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to a8 (a7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: pawn to b5 (b4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d7 (b5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: king to b1 (a1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to d8 (g8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: king to e2 (d1·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to a6 (a3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 334 →