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The 1000-day course

Day 424: Discovered attack

Target rating: 1148

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. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (b5·8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to f8 (f6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to e6 (c7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to d7 (f6·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to d7 (f6·6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to f6 (c3·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (h3·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: pawn to g7 (h6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: bishop to c2 (b1·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to d5 (d2·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: bishop to h5 (f3·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to b5 (c3·12)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (e4·17)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (e4·7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to a1 (b1·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d8 (b7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c2 (d1·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to h5 (e2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: knight to d6 (f5·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to e4 (b1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: knight to d8 (f7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g3 (e3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: pawn to b3 (c2·8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: knight to e6 (f4·12)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d1 (e2·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Castling-960 to the rescue on f8Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e2 (d1·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: queen to d5 (g8·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (e4·8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h8 (h7·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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