Day 703: Trapped piece
Target rating: 1501
Lesson of the day
Trapping a piece means the attacked piece has no safe square left — it simply perishes. Do not chase it around; build a cage instead: cut off the escape squares with pawns and pieces first, and attack last. The typical victim has wandered deep into your camp or is stuck at the edge of the board, where its mobility is tiny. And always check the way home for your own raiders — or the trapped piece will be yours.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to c8 (f5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to c1 (d1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to d5 (b5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to c5 (e6·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to e7 (g7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to h5 (h8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to c7 (c5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: bishop to e5 (d4·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to f7 (f3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to e1 (g1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: knight to e6 (d4·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to h6 (g6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to e6 (e3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: knight to a5 (c4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: bishop to e5 (b2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: rook to a5 (a2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: bishop to c6 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: knight to f6 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: knight to e5 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: rook to b7 (c7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to d7 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: queen to e4 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to b7 (b5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: bishop to b6 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: bishop to f6 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 704 →