Day 688: Sacrifice attack
Target rating: 1491
Lesson of the day
A sacrificial attack gives up material on purpose to rip the king's shelter open and launch a decisive assault. The sac is sound when you get concrete assets in return: open lines to the king, tempi, pieces ready to pour in. The signs: a poorly sheltered king, your forces aimed at its home, defenders stranded far away. The iron rule is to calculate, not hope — once the material is gone, there is no way back.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (d4·22)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (g7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to d6 (e4·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to b8 (b6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f6 (d5·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to f7 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to c8 (a6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6 (e7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to b7 (b6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to d2 (d1·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: knight to b5 (d4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to g8 (g5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to a4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f6 (d4·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Discovered attack: bishop to f7 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: rook to e5 (f5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: pin on g6 (g2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e7 (e3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: rook to g8 (g1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b6 (g1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: pawn to b6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: bishop to b6 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to c5 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to d8 (h4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 689 →