Day 469: Winning blow
Target rating: 1054
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. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to h5 (g3·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h3 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g5 (f4·32)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e3 (f2·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b3 (a2·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e5 (a1·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c5 (d4·53)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d3 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b5 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e5 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: pawn to e4 (f3·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d4 (d1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to g1 (g7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: pawn to e4 (d3·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c6 (d5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to g8 (a8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to d5 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to e5 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to f6 (f5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to f6 (h8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to f8 (e7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: pawn to g5 (h4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to b6 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to a3 (b2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to d6 (f8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 470 →