Day 605: Sacrifice attack
Target rating: 1374
Lesson of the day
A sacrificial attack gives up material on purpose to rip the king's shelter open and launch a decisive assault. The sac is sound when you get concrete assets in return: open lines to the king, tempi, pieces ready to pour in. The signs: a poorly sheltered king, your forces aimed at its home, defenders stranded far away. The iron rule is to calculate, not hope — once the material is gone, there is no way back.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to c5 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to b8 (b1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to d6 (e5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to e1 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to d5 (f3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to g2 (g1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: bishop to e6 (b3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·118)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d5 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to e7 (b4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: king to h2 (g1·39)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to b1 (c2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h8 (h5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to g8 (g6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: queen to b6 (f2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Discovered attack: knight to c3 (d5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to d5 (d8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: rook to g3 (g1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to b6 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to g1 (h1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: knight to d6 (f5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: queen to f6 (a1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to a6 (e2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (b2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to c7 (b6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 606 →