Day 599: Winning exchange
Target rating: 1368
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: bishop to g2 (h1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to h2 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d2 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to c4 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f6 (h7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to b5 (d3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e5 (d4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: knight to h8 (f7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to e8 (h5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b2 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: knight to h6 (g4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to d4 (a4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Pin: queen to h3 (d7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: knight to e5 (f3·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c2 (e1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d7 (h3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to f8 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to b8 (b1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to a5 (a2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to h8 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b2 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f6 (a1·25)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (e4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to f5 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 600 →