Day 604: Remove the defender
Target rating: 1372
Lesson of the day
Removing the defender is the straightforward plan: capture the guard first, then take what it guarded. Unlike deflection, the defender is not lured away — it is traded off or destroyed on the spot. Stare at the target you crave and ask who defends it, and whether that defender can be profitably eaten. Count the whole capture sequence, not just the first move — the trade must pay off at the end.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: rook to f5 (g5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to b6 (d5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to e5 (f3·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d7 (e5·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d6 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to a8 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to g7 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to e6 (e4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to e5 (c7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: rook to f4 (f1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to e7 (h7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: bishop to c5 (a3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (h1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f5 (e3·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Skewer: bishop to c1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to e1 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to g7 (h6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (h1·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to a5 (b3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to h8 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: rook to h6 (h3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: bishop to f2 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to f8 (h6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b8 (a7·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 605 →