Day 435: Setup fork
Target rating: 1166
Lesson of the day
A setup fork is a double attack that exists only because of the unusual starting squares — in classical chess these targets never stand side by side. Look for pairs of undefended pieces on your opponent's back rank and for squares from which a knight or pawn hits both at once. Such forks usually appear within the first moves, before the pieces disperse. In every new position, note right away which starting pieces are defended by no one.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: bishop to d2 (a5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: king to e1 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: king to d1 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: king to c1 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: bishop to f2 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: king to f1 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c2 (e1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: king to a2 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: king to e1 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to c2 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (b2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to e5 (f3·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c8 (d8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: rook to d6 (c6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to d5 (a2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: pawn to e4 (f3·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (g2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: pawn to b7 (b6·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: bishop to d4 (e5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to h1 (f1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: bishop to f1 (g2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: pawn to b7 (b6·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a7 (g1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to f3 (f1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: bishop to d2 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
26. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d2 (c1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f5 (e3·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Castling-960 to the rescue on a1 (b1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 436 →