Day 368: Knight fork
Target rating: 1075
Lesson of the day
A fork is one move that attacks two targets at once, and no piece forks better than the knight. Look through the knight's eyes: it jumps in an L and never moves along straight lines, which is exactly why its threats get missed. Both victims of a knight fork always stand on squares of one color, while the knight strikes from the opposite color. Hunt for the square from which the knight hits the king and a heavy piece at once.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: rook to a1 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c3 (d4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: pawn to e4 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to d4 (b2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to b8 (g3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a5 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: bishop to h4 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: king to f2 (e1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to h3 (h2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: knight to a4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: knight to f7 (e5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to f6 (e4·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to e7 (f5·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: knight to d7 (e5·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: knight to e6 (d4·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: bishop to c5 (f2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c4 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: knight to b5 (d4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to c6 (e5·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to e1 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a3 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6 (e5·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to g2 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f4 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 369 →