Day 587: Knight fork
Target rating: 1361
Lesson of the day
A fork is one move that attacks two targets at once, and no piece forks better than the knight. Look through the knight's eyes: it jumps in an L and never moves along straight lines, which is exactly why its threats get missed. Both victims of a knight fork always stand on squares of one color, while the knight strikes from the opposite color. Hunt for the square from which the knight hits the king and a heavy piece at once.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b4 (a4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to e7 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: bishop to c5 (d6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: king to e1 (f1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to a8 (a1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (f3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to a5 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h2 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to f1 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to d5 (c5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c7 (d5·31)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c7 (b5·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d5 (e3·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a6 (b4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: knight to f7 (e5·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Discovered attack: knight to c3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to c7 (c3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to f6 (g5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (e3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: bishop to b7 (a6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to a8 (a7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d5 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h8 (h5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to h7 (h1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 588 →