Day 432: Knight fork
Target rating: 1161
Lesson of the day
A fork is one move that attacks two targets at once, and no piece forks better than the knight. Look through the knight's eyes: it jumps in an L and never moves along straight lines, which is exactly why its threats get missed. Both victims of a knight fork always stand on squares of one color, while the knight strikes from the opposite color. Hunt for the square from which the knight hits the king and a heavy piece at once.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: king to c2 (c1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d3 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: king to e1 (f1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: king to g1 (f1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to d8 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: king to b1 (c1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to c4 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: king to e3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c7 (b5·24)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to e1 (f1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f6 (e4·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to f6 (d7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to f6 (d7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d7 (e5·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: knight to f6 (h5·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to c5 (c4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: king to b2 (c3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to h3 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g5 (g4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Pin: bishop to h6 (g7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: knight to e5 (f7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: knight to c5 (e6·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g2 (f1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: rook to g7 (h7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: bishop to g6 (h7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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