Day 542: Blocking save
Target rating: 1304
Lesson of the day
The blocking save: you interpose a piece against the check — not passively, but with tempo, so the blocker creates a threat of its own. Such a block turns defense into attack. Whenever you are checked, compare all three replies — capture, move the king, interpose — and among the interpositions hunt for the one that counterattacks. The mistake is automatically stepping aside with the king when an active block would have turned the game around.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c8 (c2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to e5 (f3·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to b5 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to d2 (f4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to h2 (h1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: king to h1 (g1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to b7 (f3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to b2 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: knight to g6 (f4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to d2 (d1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: queen to g4 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b2 (a1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to b4 (a4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to f3 (f2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f1 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: king to d1 (e1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to d4 (d1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d3 (b1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: pawn to b6 (b5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: king to d2 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to c3 (a3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: pawn to c6 (c5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: pawn to d7 (d6·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: bishop to h4 (e1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: pawn to f4 (f2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 543 →