Day 652: Clearance
Target rating: 1433
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. Winning blow: queen to e5 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to c7 (d5·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to b5 (c3·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to g6 (d3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 2: knight to e5 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to f8 (d8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 2: rook to e7 (e1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (a1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d7 (d3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to h3 (g2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: pawn to d8 (d7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to h8 (h7·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g2 (g1·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: knight to g5 (e4·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c2 (d4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to h1 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to g7 (g3·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d7 (d6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to c1 (g1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: bishop to f3 (d1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e1·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to f5 (f2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: king to b3 (a2·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to e1 (c1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 653 →