Day 360: Development punish
Target rating: 1062
Lesson of the day
Punishing lazy development: half of your opponent's army is asleep on its starting squares, which means you outnumber him where the fight is. Count not the pieces on the board but the pieces in play — if five or more of his pieces have never moved, look for a forcing attack. The sign is a development lead plus open lines toward his king. Strike immediately: give him two quiet moves and the advantage evaporates.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: king to b3 (a2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to g4 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to h7 (h8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to h1 (g3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c1 (d1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d4 (a7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: bishop to a4 (c2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to f4 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to f4 (g3·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: pawn to e3 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: king to g1 (f1·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to h1 (g1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to h1 (g1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: pawn to g4 (g2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: knight to a3 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: rook to c3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: queen to e1 (e5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: queen to f7 (b7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to a7 (a6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Fork: queen to g5 (e7·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to d6 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Deflection: rook to e7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to e6 (f5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Fork: bishop to f2 (d4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: rook to g4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 361 →