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The 1000-day course

Day 472: Discovered attack

Target rating: 1209

Lesson of the day

A discovered attack works like a curtain: one piece steps off the line and unveils the long-range piece behind it. The beauty is that the moving piece can create a second threat of its own — two attacks in one move. Look for your stacked pairs: a bishop or rook behind a knight or pawn, aimed through them at something valuable. Send the front piece to the most aggressive square — a discovery without a second threat wastes half its power.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: rook to d2 (e2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to e3 (f2·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to f5 (d3·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to b2 (c4·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to e3 (e1·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to g7 (h8·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to g7 (f7·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to e2 (d1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to d7 (f5·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to c6 (d5·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Discovered attack: knight to d3Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to b5 (d5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to a6 (a1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: bishop to e5 (c3·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to c5 (f5·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e8 (f8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (a1·10)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to e4 (f4·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b7 (g2·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to h6 (f5·9)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d5 (h1·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: knight to b6 (c4·13)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to c7 (c2·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to g6 (g1·10)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d1·24)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 2: queen to g8 (g2·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Mate in 3: queen to h7 (d3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Deflection: rook to d1 (d4)Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: queen to c4 (c3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b6 (d4·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 473 →