Day 686: Blocking save
Target rating: 1338
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: knight to g8 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to c1 (h1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to a1 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: pawn to e3 (d2·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to c5 (b3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to b4 (g4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to h1 (f1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: bishop to h5 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: rook to c1 (h1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to e4 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: queen to e3 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to d1 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d3 (e2·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: rook to a3 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to b3 (g8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e6 (d5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: knight to c5 (b3·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to d6 (d3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: knight to e6 (g7·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to d4 (f5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to g7 (d7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: bishop to d6 (b4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to e7 (h4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to c6 (f3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: knight to g7 (h5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 687 →