Day 502: Discovered attack
Target rating: 1241
Lesson of the day
A discovered attack works like a curtain: one piece steps off the line and unveils the long-range piece behind it. The beauty is that the moving piece can create a second threat of its own — two attacks in one move. Look for your stacked pairs: a bishop or rook behind a knight or pawn, aimed through them at something valuable. Send the front piece to the most aggressive square — a discovery without a second threat wastes half its power.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to c5 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to c3 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to c8 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to d7 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to c7 (h7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to f7 (e5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: pawn to d3 (c2·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c7 (d5·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to c5 (c1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: bishop to a5 (e1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: king to c2 (c1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: pawn to c5 (c4·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: king to g2 (f1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f2 (f4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: rook to d8 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to g2 (h1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to h8 (h1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: knight to d4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: bishop to e5 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a8 (a4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: rook to c7 (c6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to e7 (f7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to f4 (f2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 503 →