Day 475: Overload
Target rating: 1214
Lesson of the day
Overloading exploits a defender with two jobs at once — guarding a piece and covering a mating square, for instance. It cannot do both: your first strike forces it to handle one duty and abandon the other. Find the overworked piece by asking what happens to each of its charges if it gets distracted. Then hit one target and collect the other — an overloaded defender only pretends to defend.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: bishop to f5 (b1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to b5 (e2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to c4 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to e7 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to f4 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e4 (d3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to e5 (a1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d4 (g1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f3 (e2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: queen to c3 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to d6 (b5·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: queen to g6 (h5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to a8 (e4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to f7 (f4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: king to a3 (b2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: pawn to f7 (f6·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: pawn to f5 (e4·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Skewer: rook to f7 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: king to a2 (b2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to f5 (g4·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h8 (h7·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: king to c2 (b2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: king to a1 (b1·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: pawn to b4 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 476 →