Day 408: First-rank tactic
Target rating: 1123
Lesson of the day
The first-rank tactic: enemy pieces that never left their starting rank become targets themselves. Standing shoulder to shoulder, they block each other and are often defended by nobody. Look for a strike along the first or eighth rank — a rook or queen that breaks through harvests the undeveloped pieces. The mistake is treating the back rank as a safe "rear area": in Chess960 it can be the most vulnerable place on the board.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: knight to c7 (d5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to d7 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (c5·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to d5 (d1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to f5 (g6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h5 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: bishop to a7 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: rook to g7 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to c3 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f5 (e3·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d3 (d2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b1 (a1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (f3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f5 (e3·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to d8 (f8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: bishop to b1 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: pawn to g6 (h5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g6 (c2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: bishop to g2 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to b5 (c4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: bishop to f6 (g7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: knight to d3 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d5 (e3·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a1 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 409 →