Day 558: Development punish
Target rating: 1315
Lesson of the day
Punishing lazy development: half of your opponent's army is asleep on its starting squares, which means you outnumber him where the fight is. Count not the pieces on the board but the pieces in play — if five or more of his pieces have never moved, look for a forcing attack. The sign is a development lead plus open lines toward his king. Strike immediately: give him two quiet moves and the advantage evaporates.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d7 (f6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to e6 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: bishop to g7 (h6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e6 (e3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to e6 (d4·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to g6 (e5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to d7 (d2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d7 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to d7 (b7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to d6 (a3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: knight to a5 (c6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to g4 (f4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: queen to h6 (h4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: knight to g5 (f3·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: bishop to f6 (a1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: knight to c5 (b3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to b5 (b8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to g5 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to a6 (b5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: bishop to b2 (a1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: rook to d7 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g5 (g4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to g7 (d7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: bishop to b4 (c3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to f8 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 559 →