Open in the app

The 1000-day course

Day 402: Discovered attack

Target rating: 1113

Lesson of the day

A discovered attack works like a curtain: one piece steps off the line and unveils the long-range piece behind it. The beauty is that the moving piece can create a second threat of its own — two attacks in one move. Look for your stacked pairs: a bishop or rook behind a knight or pawn, aimed through them at something valuable. Send the front piece to the most aggressive square — a discovery without a second threat wastes half its power.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: rook to c7 (c1·6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e4 (e3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to b4Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to f5 (g5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to c6 (e5·6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to d1 (g1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to d6 (d1·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to d6 (c5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f3 (d1·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: queen to e7 (e3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to a5 (a4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c7 (d5·24)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d4·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: bishop to g7 (d4·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Discovered attack: bishop to h2 (d6·8)Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: knight to b6 (a4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: rook to d8 (d7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c3 (c2·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to c3 (e3·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to b3 (d3·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to e7 (g7·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c3 (d1·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: bishop to c4 (d3·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: bishop to e1 (f2·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: knight to e8 (f6·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f3 (h5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a6 (e2·6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 2: fork on f2 (f6)Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: knight to f8 (g6·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 403 →