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The 1000-day course

Day 477: Promotion

Target rating: 1217

Lesson of the day

Promotion turns a pawn on the last rank into a queen and rewrites the evaluation on the spot. In tactics the passer rarely walks in for free — usually a sacrifice clears its path. Count the tempi: how many moves does the pawn need, and can the defender stop it in time? And watch the promotion square itself — it must be out of enemy reach or won by force in your combination.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: bishop to f7 (h5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a6 (e2·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to d7 (b5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to b4 (b5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to e8 (b5·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to f7 (e8·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to c8 (c7·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: knight to a6 (c7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to b2 (c1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to e8 (c8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: pawn to e8 (e7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to c8 (c1·12)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to a7 (a1·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to d8 (e8·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d1·25)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b3 (d1·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: pawn to a4 (a2·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to b4 (d2·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to d3 (b3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: king to c1 (b1·16)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (d4·9)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: pawn to b7 (c6·9)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b6 (a5·23)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d3 (b3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: pawn to e3 (e2·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 2: queen to d8 (d4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Mate in 3: deflection on f7Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Deflection: pawn to g4Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 2: queen to h6 (f8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (d4·110)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 478 →