Day 622: First-rank tactic
Target rating: 1401
Lesson of the day
The first-rank tactic: enemy pieces that never left their starting rank become targets themselves. Standing shoulder to shoulder, they block each other and are often defended by nobody. Look for a strike along the first or eighth rank — a rook or queen that breaks through harvests the undeveloped pieces. The mistake is treating the back rank as a safe "rear area": in Chess960 it can be the most vulnerable place on the board.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: king to c2 (b1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: pawn to e6 (d5·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: pawn to c8 (b7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to g5 (h5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to f6 (h7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c2 (c1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to d6 (c6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to g8 (e8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: knight to b5 (c3·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: bishop to f6 (c3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: knight to b7 (c5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b7 (c5·27)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g7 (f5·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b7 (c5·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b7 (c5·29)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: queen to b7 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Trap the bishop on d3 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Pin: knight to f3 (e5·4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: pawn to d7 (d6·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to f7 (d6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: bishop to c3 (d2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: knight to b4 (d3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: king to a2 (b1·32)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to f3 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 623 →