Day 620: Queen fork
Target rating: 1398
Lesson of the day
The queen strikes along files, ranks and diagonals, so she forks more often than any other piece. Look for a square where the queen attacks two undefended targets at once — most often a check combined with a loose piece. Diagonal blows are especially venomous: a slanting check that also eyes a rook in the corner is the classic of the genre. Remember that both targets must be unprotected, or your «fork» is just a shot into the air.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: rook to f8 (a8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to e5 (g5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to f4 (h2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to b6 (a6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d7 (c5·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to e6 (e1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to b6 (c4·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: knight to d5 (c3·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to d8 (c7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d2 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d5 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to f5 (a5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: queen to b3 (a3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to f7 (f3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c7 (h2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: knight to f5 (g7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: knight to f5 (e3·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Win the hanging pawn on a3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Castling-960 to the rescue on b1 (d1·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: pawn to f5 (f4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to e4 (e3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: king to f1 (g1·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: knight to c5 (d3·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to h7 (h6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to g8 (g5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 621 →