Day 513: Absolute pin
Target rating: 1259
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: bishop to g6 (h7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f7 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: pawn to c6 (b5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to d8 (g5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c1 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to c6 (b5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f5 (e3·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: knight to c6 (b4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to g6 (e6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d4 (g1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d5 (d3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (d4·26)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to f6 (h8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to e6 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: knight to f5 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b8 (b1·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to c7 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: rook to h7 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f7 (b3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: rook to d8 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: bishop to e4 (c2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to a6 (a5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Discovered attack: knight to e6 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to d6 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to a7 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 514 →