Day 427: Absolute pin
Target rating: 1003
Lesson of the day
An absolute pin freezes a piece on the line between its own king and your long-range attacker: moving it is simply illegal. The pattern is three units on one straight line — your bishop, rook or queen, an enemy piece, and the enemy king behind it. A pinned piece neither attacks nor defends anything: treat it as if it were off the board. Pile up on it, ideally with a pawn, because running away is against the rules.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e5 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d4 (f3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b5 (a4·31)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a4 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c6 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c5 (e3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g7 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f3 (g2·25)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h2 (h1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f4 (f1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: knight to d5 (e3·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a8 (a1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: rook to b8 (b6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (h4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: bishop to b6 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to d6 (a3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: knight to e7 (f5·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to b4 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to e6 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (b1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: knight to h6 (f5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d5 (h1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d7 (d3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f2 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 428 →