Day 376: Absolute pin
Target rating: 1088
Lesson of the day
An absolute pin freezes a piece on the line between its own king and your long-range attacker: moving it is simply illegal. The pattern is three units on one straight line — your bishop, rook or queen, an enemy piece, and the enemy king behind it. A pinned piece neither attacks nor defends anything: treat it as if it were off the board. Pile up on it, ideally with a pawn, because running away is against the rules.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d4 (a1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f5 (h6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b5 (a4·29)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g4 (d1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h5 (g4·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b4 (d3·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to a3 (b2·30)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a4 (d1·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d4 (b3·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c8 (g4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: queen to a8 (a6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: bishop to c4 (b5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: bishop to g4 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e1 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to c7 (c8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c6 (e4·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to c7 (c1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Pin: knight to f3 (h4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Fork: knight to b5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Fork: knight to c4 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Pin: knight to f3 (d2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
22. Fork: knight to g6 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Fork: queen to e6 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Fork: bishop to e4 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Fork: bishop to c5 (f8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 377 →