Day 685: Winning blow
Target rating: 1486
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: queen to c7 (c2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to b3 (h3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: king to b1 (c1·33)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: king to c2 (d1·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to h8 (h7·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to a7 (a3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 2: queen to d6 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to h7 (h8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 2: queen to c6 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to f8 (f7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: knight to c2 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to e1 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: bishop to g2 (h1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: rook to f1 (f4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b2 (d4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: queen to d5 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 1: queen to h7 (f5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: queen to a4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to f8 (e7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: fork on f7 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: deflection on b8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: queen to b8 (a8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to e1 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: pawn to d6 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to d2 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 686 →