Day 487: Absolute pin
Target rating: 1233
Lesson of the day
An absolute pin freezes a piece on the line between its own king and your long-range attacker: moving it is simply illegal. The pattern is three units on one straight line — your bishop, rook or queen, an enemy piece, and the enemy king behind it. A pinned piece neither attacks nor defends anything: treat it as if it were off the board. Pile up on it, ideally with a pawn, because running away is against the rules.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to e7 (a7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f8 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to f7 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to e6 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to d6 (h6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: bishop to f6 (a1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to d6 (b8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to d6 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to e5 (c3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to b7 (b1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: knight to g7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: bishop to a6 (d3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: pawn to h3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (h1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: king to d2 (e1·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 1: rook to h3 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to c7 (c8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h4 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: pawn to a7 (a6·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: king to e1 (f1·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: rook to h4 (f4·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: bishop to g5 (h4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to g8 (g1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to g8 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
26. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f2 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a6 (f1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a8 (a1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 488 →