Day 430: Deflection
Target rating: 1158
Lesson of the day
Deflection forces the guard to leave its post: a sacrifice or exchange drags it away from the piece or square it protects. First find the critical defender — the piece whose absence makes the mate or the material win possible. Then find the move it cannot ignore, which is usually a capture. Do not be stingy: if removing the guard wins the queen or mates, the sacrifice pays for itself many times over.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: knight to c6 (e5·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (c5·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to g5 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f6 (d5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to e6 (g5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: king to g1 (g2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g7 (h6·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to f2 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: knight to f4 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to c2 (b1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: pawn to f5 (e4·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to b5 (d6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to b5 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to a2 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: pawn to b5 (a4·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (e4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to a7 (a8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b5 (e2·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: king to d3 (e2·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: queen to g7 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: bishop to d6 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: knight to f8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to g3 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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