Day 349: Trapped piece
Target rating: 1048
Lesson of the day
Trapping a piece means the attacked piece has no safe square left — it simply perishes. Do not chase it around; build a cage instead: cut off the escape squares with pawns and pieces first, and attack last. The typical victim has wandered deep into your camp or is stuck at the edge of the board, where its mobility is tiny. And always check the way home for your own raiders — or the trapped piece will be yours.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (d4·94)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: pawn to f4 (f3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e4 (b1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c5 (c1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to b4 (f4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e4 (g5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c6 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to a6 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h8 (a1·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f8 (f1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: rook to d1 (e1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: pawn to h3 (h2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: pawn to d3 (d2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (e4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: pawn to c4 (c2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: knight to d7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: king to d1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: bishop to a4 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to c7 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: rook to a8 (a7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h5 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: rook to h8 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (f5·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d8 (h4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to c6 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 350 →