Day 664: Sacrifice attack
Target rating: 1452
Lesson of the day
A sacrificial attack gives up material on purpose to rip the king's shelter open and launch a decisive assault. The sac is sound when you get concrete assets in return: open lines to the king, tempi, pieces ready to pour in. The signs: a poorly sheltered king, your forces aimed at its home, defenders stranded far away. The iron rule is to calculate, not hope — once the material is gone, there is no way back.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d3 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: king to c1 (d1·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: king to b1 (c1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: king to d1 (c1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: king to d2 (d1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: king to b1 (c1·29)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: king to a1 (b1·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: king to b1 (c1·30)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: king to h2 (g1·32)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to e3 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f8 (h8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to h7 (h3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: rook to g6 (c6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: knight to f4 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (d4·35)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: rook to c7 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: pawn to e6 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: rook to d5 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to f6 (a1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 1: queen to h8 (h6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: knight to d3 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: bishop to d7 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f3 (f2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b5 (f1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: bishop to h4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 665 →