Day 596: Clearance
Target rating: 1368
Lesson of the day
Clearance is about your own piece standing in the way of the decisive blow — so you move it aside, or even throw it away. The key is to clear with tempo: jump off with a check, a capture or a threat, giving the opponent no time to regroup. The telltale sign: you see a crushing queen or rook move, but one of your own pieces blocks the line or occupies the square. Do not cling to it — a clearance sacrifice usually costs less than a missed attack.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: bishop to e6 (d5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c8 (c3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to g8 (g7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to c8 (f5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to e5 (f3·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c6 (e4·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to d3 (f1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to e3 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: bishop to f7 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to h2 (g1·37)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: rook to c8 (c7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to e6 (f6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Discovered attack: knight to h6 (f5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to b1 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Discovered attack: rook to d4 (e4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: queen to h8 (e8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to c6 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to a7 (a6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e7 (b4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to d8 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to c8 (c5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: rook to f8 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to e7 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to e7 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: knight to c6 (d4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 597 →