Day 543: Absolute pin
Target rating: 1304
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: queen to g7 (h6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to b7 (b3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d7 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to f6 (h8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to e5 (d3·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: bishop to f6 (d4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b6 (c4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to f8 (f2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to f7 (f2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to h7 (g6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (b4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to b5 (d3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to b5 (d3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: pawn to f4 (f3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: king to b1 (c2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f1 (e1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to e3 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a1 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: king to d2 (c1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: king to c2 (d1·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: king to b3 (a2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f1 (d1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: king to d2 (d1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a5 (b3·24)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 544 →