Day 637: Winning blow
Target rating: 1275
Lesson of the day
A winning blow is a forced material gain that does not fit a single textbook motif. The general tactical recipe applies: spot loose pieces, an awkwardly placed king, overloaded lines. Go through the forcing moves in order of violence — checks, captures, threats — because most combinations start with one of them. Do not judge by feel: calculate the concrete line until the outcome is beyond doubt.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to e5 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to g5 (f3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to d5 (e7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (c5·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to c6 (e5·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d5 (f4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to f6 (f3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c6 (h1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: knight to e6 (f4·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: bishop to h4 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to f7 (e5·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e3 (d2·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: pawn to c7 (d6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: pawn to e4 (f3·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: queen to b8 (b5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a6 (e2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d6 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to f4 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b6 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: knight to c5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: rook to e8 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g6 (h7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to g8 (g7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to c7 (a5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 638 →