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The 1000-day course

Day 608: Discovered attack

Target rating: 1379

Lesson of the day

A discovered attack works like a curtain: one piece steps off the line and unveils the long-range piece behind it. The beauty is that the moving piece can create a second threat of its own — two attacks in one move. Look for your stacked pairs: a bishop or rook behind a knight or pawn, aimed through them at something valuable. Send the front piece to the most aggressive square — a discovery without a second threat wastes half its power.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (f3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: bishop to e6 (d7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to b4 (b3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d4 (c3·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: bishop to c3 (d2·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to d2 (b1·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d3·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to f5 (e6·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: bishop to d3 (c4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e1·12)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h6 (f4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e6·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to e6 (g5·16)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (d4·36)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: king to d2 (c1·22)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g4 (g3·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to d8 (d4·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d5 (e4·6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (d4·10)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: pawn to h5 (g4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (e4·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d3 (a3·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g5 (h7·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to d8 (d4·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (d5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: queen to d1 (c1·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c7 (d5·33)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: bishop to g6 (b1·10)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: queen to d4 (b2·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Mate in 2: knight to f6 (e4·12)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 609 →