Day 661: Absolute pin
Target rating: 1448
Lesson of the day
An absolute pin freezes a piece on the line between its own king and your long-range attacker: moving it is simply illegal. The pattern is three units on one straight line — your bishop, rook or queen, an enemy piece, and the enemy king behind it. A pinned piece neither attacks nor defends anything: treat it as if it were off the board. Pile up on it, ideally with a pawn, because running away is against the rules.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to b4 (e1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to d7 (c6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to f8 (d6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d6 (f4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to c8 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 2: queen to f5 (h3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: king to b1 (a2·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to c7 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 2: queen to c7 (h2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to h2 (g1·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: rook to h5 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: knight to h6 (f5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to g8 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to f6 (f3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to e2 (h5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: queen to e7 (h4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: pawn to b6 (a5·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: rook to e1 (e8·6)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to e1 (e7·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Fork: queen to e5 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: rook to f8 (f1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Fork: queen to b1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e6 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Fork: knight to e4 (f6)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to e6 (f5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 662 →