Day 567: Winning exchange
Target rating: 1179
Lesson of the day
A winning exchange is a forced series of captures on one square that leaves you ahead in material. It is pure arithmetic: count the attackers and defenders of the square and note the value of every piece in the queue. Capture in the right order — cheap pieces first, expensive ones later — or a winning trade turns into a losing one. The classic error is stopping the count halfway and missing the opponent's final recapture.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: king to g1 (h1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: king to e1 (f1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: king to h2 (g1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: king to d1 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: king to b1 (c1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: king to g1 (f1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: king to f1 (g1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: king to c2 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: king to c1 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: king to f1 (e1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: rook to e1 (e4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d1·26)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to f6 (e4·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: pawn to a7 (b6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Discovered attack: knight to d4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: knight to e8 (f6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to g7 (h7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to f8 (g8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to e5 (a1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to c5 (e6·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to d4 (d1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to d5 (d7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: king to g1 (f1·25)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to d5 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h7 (g8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 568 →