Day 444: Remove the defender
Target rating: 1176
Lesson of the day
Removing the defender is the straightforward plan: capture the guard first, then take what it guarded. Unlike deflection, the defender is not lured away — it is traded off or destroyed on the spot. Stare at the target you crave and ask who defends it, and whether that defender can be profitably eaten. Count the whole capture sequence, not just the first move — the trade must pay off at the end.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: king to e1 (f2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to d1 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: king to d2 (c2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: king to h3 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: king to c1 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: king to d1 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: king to c1 (b1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: king to f3 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: king to b1 (c1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: pawn to f3 (f2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: queen to f6 (h6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to g8 (g5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to e6 (e1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to e6 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g5 (h4·31)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: knight to b3 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to c7 (c1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to h5 (f4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: bishop to e4 (c2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to a4 (a1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: pawn to f6 (g5·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: bishop to d7 (c6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: knight to c6 (d4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 445 →