Day 359: Winning blow
Target rating: 1060
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 c1 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g5 (h4·26)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to d7 (f6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b1 (a1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to b8 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (g2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to g6 (e7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d8 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c6 (h1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to g4 (g1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c4 (b3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h8 (b2·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: pawn to b7 (a6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to a8 (a3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: queen to g6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Deflection: queen to g6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: queen to e6 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Fork: queen to d4 (d7·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Deflection: knight to g6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: bishop to f3 (a8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Fork: bishop to d4 (e5·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to f1 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Fork: knight to e5 (f3·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: pawn to e5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 360 →