Day 673: Clearance
Target rating: 1467
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: knight to c7 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: pawn to d8 (d7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to g8 (g7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to d6 (c5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 2: rook to c6 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to d7 (d3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d7 (a4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: knight to f5 (g3·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to a7 (c5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e7 (e2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: knight to g6 (f4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: queen to c4 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Discovered attack: pawn to f3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: rook to g7 (e7·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to d6 (d3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: bishop to g4 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: rook to f8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to d8 (c7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to a6 (e2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to e7 (g5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to d6 (b8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: queen to d6 (b4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to d7 (d2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f8 (g8·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: knight to f6 (h5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 674 →