Day 413: Winning exchange
Target rating: 981
Lesson of the day
A winning exchange is a forced series of captures on one square that leaves you ahead in material. It is pure arithmetic: count the attackers and defenders of the square and note the value of every piece in the queue. Capture in the right order — cheap pieces first, expensive ones later — or a winning trade turns into a losing one. The classic error is stopping the count halfway and missing the opponent's final recapture.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (d4·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: bishop to e5 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: pawn to g4 (h3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: pawn to a4 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: bishop to a7 (g1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to c4 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to c5 (b7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to b5 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to d4 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: pawn to d4 (c3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: rook to d5 (d1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: pawn to h6 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: pawn to a3 (b2·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: rook to e4 (e1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: king to b2 (c1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d2 (f3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: knight to d3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g2 (g1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to b8 (c6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to c5 (a7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: pawn to e6 (f5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: pawn to g3 (h2·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to e6 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to b1 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 414 →