Day 345: Battery
Target rating: 1048
Lesson of the day
A battery stacks two long-range pieces on one line — a queen behind a bishop on a diagonal, or doubled rooks on a file. The front piece strikes with double force: capture it, and the piece behind recaptures with even more pressure. The battery is ready when both pieces already stare at one point and only the front strike is missing. Build batteries in advance on lines leading to the king — the doubling itself often breeds the combination.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f2 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c4 (f1·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c5 (f2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h3 (g2·49)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h5 (g4·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: king to d3 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f4 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b3 (a2·26)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g8 (g1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·100)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (h7·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (h1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d4 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: rook to b4 (b3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to e5 (d5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: rook to h1 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to f4 (c4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: rook to h5 (g5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: rook to e1 (e3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: rook to a1 (a2·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: pawn to f6 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e6 (g4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Fork: knight to e2 (d4·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: knight to e7 (d5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Fork: queen to c5 (e7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 346 →