Day 510: Decoy
Target rating: 1254
Lesson of the day
A decoy is the mirror image of deflection: you sacrifice to drag the king or a piece onto a fatal square. The classic is a queen or rook sac whose capture pulls the king into a knight fork, a discovered check or mate. Find the square where the target will be hit, then find the offer it cannot refuse. Calculate to the very end — a decoy only works when the follow-up is forced.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to e6 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b5 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to d6 (f5·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to g7 (a1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to d4 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to e5 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (g5·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f6 (a1·22)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: knight to e6 (c5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (b5·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: king to b1 (c1·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to b7 (b4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to h8 (h2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to g8 (d5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f6 (h5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e7·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to b5 (f5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to e6 (a2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (f3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a8 (a1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to e3 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: pawn to e4 (e3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to h8 (h7·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to e7 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to d6 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 511 →