Day 665: Blocking save
Target rating: 1304
Lesson of the day
The blocking save: you interpose a piece against the check — not passively, but with tempo, so the blocker creates a threat of its own. Such a block turns defense into attack. Whenever you are checked, compare all three replies — capture, move the king, interpose — and among the interpositions hunt for the one that counterattacks. The mistake is automatically stepping aside with the king when an active block would have turned the game around.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to c2 (b2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to c8 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to a8 (c6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e6 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to b5 (d6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to c3 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to f7 (f3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: knight to e6 (g5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: knight to c6 (a5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: queen to c1 (c2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to e2 (h5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f2 (h1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: bishop to d4 (a1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c2 (d1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: queen to c8 (c3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to a6 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to a8 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e8 (e7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to f7 (e6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: knight to f6 (h5·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: queen to b5 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to h6 (c1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6 (d4·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 666 →