Day 473: Knight fork
Target rating: 1211
Lesson of the day
A fork is one move that attacks two targets at once, and no piece forks better than the knight. Look through the knight's eyes: it jumps in an L and never moves along straight lines, which is exactly why its threats get missed. Both victims of a knight fork always stand on squares of one color, while the knight strikes from the opposite color. Hunt for the square from which the knight hits the king and a heavy piece at once.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: rook to h7 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to a8 (h1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to e7 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to g2 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to f6 (h8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to g6 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to f7 (d7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to c7 (c6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6 (e7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to d7 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: knight to f6 (e4·22)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g6 (f4·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to b5 (d4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: knight to d4 (b5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to b7 (b8·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to b6 (b3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e7 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b6 (b1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to c7 (g7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d7 (h3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to b7 (b3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: bishop to b7 (a8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to e3 (e2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f4 (d2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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