Day 446: Trapped piece
Target rating: 1176
Lesson of the day
Trapping a piece means the attacked piece has no safe square left — it simply perishes. Do not chase it around; build a cage instead: cut off the escape squares with pawns and pieces first, and attack last. The typical victim has wandered deep into your camp or is stuck at the edge of the board, where its mobility is tiny. And always check the way home for your own raiders — or the trapped piece will be yours.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: bishop to d7 (e6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (h8·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: king to e1 (f1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: king to e3 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (b5·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: king to h1 (g1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to e7 (f5·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: king to c3 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: knight to d5 (c7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to b1 (c1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: rook to g1 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (h1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to a5 (b3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: knight to b4 (c2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to c6 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to h6 (d2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: bishop to d4 (a1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b5 (a4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: bishop to d6 (e5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to g5 (g8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e6 (d5·38)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to e6 (e1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to d4 (d1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d4 (g1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 447 →