Day 335: Winning blow
Target rating: 1038
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. Winning blow: rook to b5 (c5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f3 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to b1 (f1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c2 (d1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to c1 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to g5 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to e3 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to b3 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to g6 (g5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (f2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Fork: knight to f7 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e3 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: bishop to f3 (h1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h1 (g1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: pawn to c7 (c6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Discovered attack: knight to d5Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Back-rank mate in 3 on f2 (f6·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: deflection on e8 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to g3 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: king to d2 (d1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g5 (e3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: king to h2 (g1·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: king to d2 (e1·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to c8 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a5 (c3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 336 →