Day 618: Clearance
Target rating: 1395
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. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (c3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (h7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to g6 (g7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g8 (a2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e5 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to g8 (f8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e7 (e6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to b3 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to e6 (f6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to a8 (f3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: knight to b6 (d5·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to g5 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to f4 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Discovered attack: knight to f6 (d5·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Discovered attack: knight to g3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: knight to f7 (h6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: bishop to e2 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: king to g2 (h2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to a4 (c2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: bishop to e5 (a1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to g7 (c3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: knight to c3 (b1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c1 (d1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to c3 (f3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c7 (a5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 619 →