Day 641: Decoy
Target rating: 1432
Lesson of the day
A decoy is the mirror image of deflection: you sacrifice to drag the king or a piece onto a fatal square. The classic is a queen or rook sac whose capture pulls the king into a knight fork, a discovered check or mate. Find the square where the target will be hit, then find the offer it cannot refuse. Calculate to the very end — a decoy only works when the follow-up is forced.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: bishop to h5 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: king to f2 (e1·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: king to f1 (e1·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to f6 (f1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to c6 (d5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to c4 (c3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to b6 (a6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b2 (c1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to d7 (d6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (e7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: bishop to f7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: pawn to c4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: pawn to a8 (a7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to b6 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: queen to f4 (f7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: queen to f1 (f5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: bishop to g5 (e3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: rook to e1 (f1)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Discovered attack: bishop to f3 (b7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: rook to c7 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: bishop to c5 (d6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: fork on f3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to e2 (f2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e5 (d4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Fork: rook to e8 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 642 →