Day 662: Winning blow
Target rating: 1449
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: king to g1 (f1·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to e8 (f8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: king to c2 (b2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e4 (g2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: king to a1 (b1·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to d4 (d8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 2: queen to c7 (a7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: king to a1 (b1·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (c5·24)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Win the hanging king on g2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Pin: queen to h7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Fork: king to h2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: knight to b7 (d6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to a3 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: queen to a8 (a7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: queen to a6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to f7 (f6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Fork: queen to e6 (g4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to g6 (g4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Pin: knight to f6 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: queen to d6 (c5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: knight to g7 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: rook to f8 (f1·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: bishop to g6 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 663 →