Day 397: Knight fork
Target rating: 1112
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: pawn to h6 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: bishop to b7 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (c4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c2 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to c6 (b4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: pawn to b5 (a4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: pawn to g6 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (d4·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e8 (d6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (e4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c7 (d5·29)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c5 (e4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (d4·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: knight to c7 (b5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: knight to e6 (c5·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g4 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g3 (g2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to f3 (h1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: pawn to c3 (c2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h1 (g1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to b7 (b6·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a2 (a7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to b2 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e3 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to b3 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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