Day 371: Winning exchange
Target rating: 930
Lesson of the day
A winning exchange is a forced series of captures on one square that leaves you ahead in material. It is pure arithmetic: count the attackers and defenders of the square and note the value of every piece in the queue. Capture in the right order — cheap pieces first, expensive ones later — or a winning trade turns into a losing one. The classic error is stopping the count halfway and missing the opponent's final recapture.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f4 (d3·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a5 (d2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g4 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e5 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (e3·41)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a3 (a1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d5 (h1·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·103)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: rook to e3 (e1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g8 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: queen to d4 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to d6 (d1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to g2 (g1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d4 (c3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to a2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to c1 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: king to h2 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to b8 (b7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: pawn to f5 (g4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to h3 (g1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: knight to d6 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to e5 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to a3 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c3 (c2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: pawn to f6 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 372 →