Day 680: Minor-piece endgame
Target rating: 1478
Lesson of the day
A minor-piece endgame leaves only bishops and knights with pawns, and geometry decides. The bishop loves an open board and play on both wings; the knight loves fixed pawns and outpost squares. Check which color squares the pawns stand on and where the knight can actually reach in time. Practical tip: against a knight, spread the play across both flanks — short legs cannot cover everything.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to h4 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to g6 (f6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to c6 (b6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 2: queen to h8 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to d1 (b1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to f6 (d7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 2: bishop to a5 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to b7 (a8·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: rook to f8 (d8·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 2: queen to d7 (d2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: pawn to h6 (h5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to a2 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Fork: knight to d4 (c6)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Trap the bishop on d6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Win the hanging king on c3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: knight to e8 (g7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f1·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to h8 (d4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to e1 (a1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (e4·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to b4 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: bishop to d6 (c5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to b4 (e1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to b6 (c5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to a5 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 681 →