Day 503: Overload
Target rating: 1243
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: rook to f8 (f6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to f6 (f1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to b5 (a6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to g2 (h3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to f2 (f1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to e5 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to e4 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d4 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to c4 (d3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: bishop to b7 (h1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: queen to g7 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to e6 (e2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e3 (c1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e5 (d3·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: knight to h5 (g3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d1 (f1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to c6 (c3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to e3 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to f6 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: rook to h5 (h1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a4 (c2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: bishop to d6 (b8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to c8 (b8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to c6 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b3 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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