Day 483: Winning exchange
Target rating: 1077
Lesson of the day
A winning exchange is a forced series of captures on one square that leaves you ahead in material. It is pure arithmetic: count the attackers and defenders of the square and note the value of every piece in the queue. Capture in the right order — cheap pieces first, expensive ones later — or a winning trade turns into a losing one. The classic error is stopping the count halfway and missing the opponent's final recapture.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: king to c2 (d1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e6 (d5·34)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: king to g2 (g1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b7 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: king to f1 (e1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (e4·64)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d6 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b6 (f2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b6 (a5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h2 (g1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to b3 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: pawn to d6 (d5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to e1 (h4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to d4 (c3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (h4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: knight to d6 (f5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to c8 (h8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a3 (c1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to f4 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f8 (f1·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to c1 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to b6 (g1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to g8 (f7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 484 →