Day 462: Winning exchange
Target rating: 1043
Lesson of the day
A winning exchange is a forced series of captures on one square that leaves you ahead in material. It is pure arithmetic: count the attackers and defenders of the square and note the value of every piece in the queue. Capture in the right order — cheap pieces first, expensive ones later — or a winning trade turns into a losing one. The classic error is stopping the count halfway and missing the opponent's final recapture.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f2 (d3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g4 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e4 (f3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d6 (e5·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h6 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a2 (c3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e5 (d3·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e4 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a3 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: rook to g6 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to d3 (b4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: pawn to e6 (f5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c4 (d3·39)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to e1 (h4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g8 (h7·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (e4·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f6 (e5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to c6 (e4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: bishop to e7 (f6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to d6 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to c6 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d3 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to e7 (d6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to d6 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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