Day 530: Sacrifice attack
Target rating: 1286
Lesson of the day
A sacrificial attack gives up material on purpose to rip the king's shelter open and launch a decisive assault. The sac is sound when you get concrete assets in return: open lines to the king, tempi, pieces ready to pour in. The signs: a poorly sheltered king, your forces aimed at its home, defenders stranded far away. The iron rule is to calculate, not hope — once the material is gone, there is no way back.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to d7 (d2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e8 (b8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f7 (b3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c6 (c2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to b5 (e2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to f5 (d6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (b2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to b7 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to g3 (g2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d7 (d4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f5 (f1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a6 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f7 (g6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to e5 (g3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d1·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Skewer: queen to a3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Skewer: rook to c8 (b8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (f4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to b6 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: rook to a8 (a7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Castling-960 to the rescue on c1 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f2 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: pawn to e6 (e5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g3 (f2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Discovered attack: knight to h6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 531 →