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The 1000-day course

Day 554: Discovered attack

Target rating: 1308

Lesson of the day

A discovered attack works like a curtain: one piece steps off the line and unveils the long-range piece behind it. The beauty is that the moving piece can create a second threat of its own — two attacks in one move. Look for your stacked pairs: a bishop or rook behind a knight or pawn, aimed through them at something valuable. Send the front piece to the most aggressive square — a discovery without a second threat wastes half its power.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: queen to a6 (c4·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to e1 (f1·6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: bishop to c4 (f1·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b6 (c5·24)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to e7 (e3·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: pawn to f4 (g3·16)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (f1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to d1 (f1·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d5 (e3·16)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: knight to e8 (f6·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: knight to g5 (f3·9)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to d6 (f7·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: bishop to f6 (g5·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b7 (c7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e3 (e7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to g8 (h8·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to g5 (g2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: bishop to g4 (h3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (f3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d1·21)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to f8 (c8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: rook to h8 (d8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Castling-960 to the rescue on c8 (g8·2)Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation
24. Discovered attack: pawn to e4Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: bishop to d1 (c2·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Deflection: pawn to e2Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation
27. Winning blow: rook to d2 (d7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b7 (c5·23)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 2: fork on g7Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d8 (d4·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 555 →