Day 383: Winning blow
Target rating: 1099
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: bishop to h3 (g2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to f5 (f1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e6 (d5·35)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (c3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: bishop to d4 (g1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to b1 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c5 (a3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: bishop to f2 (g1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: bishop to d6 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: knight to c6 (a5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Deflection: queen to c8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: king to f2 (f1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: king to b3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: king to f1 (e1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c3 (c2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 1: queen to g2 (d5·6)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 1: rook to f1 (f5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: rook to a8 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Discovered attack: bishop to h7 (d3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Discovered attack: pawn to c5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Fork: knight to e7 (d5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Fork: queen to c4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Fork: bishop to f2 (c5·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
24. Fork: queen to a1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
25. Fork: knight to f6 (d5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 384 →