Day 699: Clearance
Target rating: 1496
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 d7 (e5·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to h4 (h3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: bishop to f6 (b2·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to f7 (f5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d1·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to e7 (f7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d8·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f1·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to e2 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f8 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: queen to g5 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e7·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to c6 (e5·27)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d4·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: knight to c6 (d4·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (b5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (f4·26)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to f6 (h8·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to d4 (c3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to a6 (a5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to h7 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: knight to e6 (g5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to g8 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: rook to h6 (e6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 700 →