Day 447: Winning blow
Target rating: 1176
Lesson of the day
A winning blow is a forced material gain that does not fit a single textbook motif. The general tactical recipe applies: spot loose pieces, an awkwardly placed king, overloaded lines. Go through the forcing moves in order of violence — checks, captures, threats — because most combinations start with one of them. Do not judge by feel: calculate the concrete line until the outcome is beyond doubt.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: king to c2 (d1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: king to b1 (c1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to c2 (c6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: king to a2 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to b1 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to d7 (c5·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: king to f2 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: knight to e6 (f4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: king to c1 (d1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: bishop to b4 (c3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Win the hanging knight on f8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Deflection: rook to h8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Fork: knight to e3 (c4·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: knight to d2 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: knight to f2 (h1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: knight to g6 (f8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: pawn to g6 (f5·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: knight to g4 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: knight to d7 (c5·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to e5 (c6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: knight to c5 (a6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (a1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h5 (h1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d4 (a1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (a4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 448 →