Day 569: Decoy
Target rating: 1332
Lesson of the day
A decoy is the mirror image of deflection: you sacrifice to drag the king or a piece onto a fatal square. The classic is a queen or rook sac whose capture pulls the king into a knight fork, a discovered check or mate. Find the square where the target will be hit, then find the offer it cannot refuse. Calculate to the very end — a decoy only works when the follow-up is forced.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to a8 (a5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e3 (e1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to e8 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to e7 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to c6 (g2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to e2 (e1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to d7 (c6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to b5 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: bishop to a6 (f1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d1·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: knight to e6 (g7·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to e6 (e1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: bishop to e7 (d6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: pawn to c5 (d4·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f3 (d1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: bishop to d3 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to a6 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (h1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to f7 (g8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6 (d4·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: knight to c4 (a3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Castling-960 to the rescue on h1 (e1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g8 (g3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to d7 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 570 →