Day 557: Winning blow
Target rating: 1313
Lesson of the day
A winning blow is a forced material gain that does not fit a single textbook motif. The general tactical recipe applies: spot loose pieces, an awkwardly placed king, overloaded lines. Go through the forcing moves in order of violence — checks, captures, threats — because most combinations start with one of them. Do not judge by feel: calculate the concrete line until the outcome is beyond doubt.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: bishop to f5 (d3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to e4 (g3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: pawn to g4 (g2·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to g3 (h4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to e1 (a1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to e6 (d4·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to h8 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to b7 (b3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: knight to e7 (g6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a7 (g1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Win the hanging queen on g8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Win the hanging rook on a8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to f6 (h7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b6 (g1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to c2 (c1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f3 (g1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to f1 (g1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to e7 (d8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to h1 (h8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to h5 (h6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b8 (b5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: pawn to d4 (d2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to f8 (h8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to c6 (c5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Castling-960 to the rescue on e1 (g1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
26. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d5 (e3·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f4 (c1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b5 (c3·22)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 558 →