Day 339: Absolute pin
Target rating: 1044
Lesson of the day
An absolute pin freezes a piece on the line between its own king and your long-range attacker: moving it is simply illegal. The pattern is three units on one straight line — your bishop, rook or queen, an enemy piece, and the enemy king behind it. A pinned piece neither attacks nor defends anything: treat it as if it were off the board. Pile up on it, ideally with a pawn, because running away is against the rules.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: king to f1 (e1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to b5 (a7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to e5 (f4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to b3 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to h3 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to g5 (c1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h6 (f4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: rook to d5 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: bishop to c3 (a1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f6 (h5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to f6 (e4·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to f5 (h6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to a5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Win the hanging rook on g7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Discovered attack: knight to g4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: bishop to f4 (c1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Discovered attack: pawn to c4 (b5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to b6 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: king to b2 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: knight to d4 (f3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: king to h2 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to a8 (f8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d5 (b3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to b1 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 340 →