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The 1000-day course

Day 705: Discovered attack

Target rating: 1506

Lesson of the day

A discovered attack works like a curtain: one piece steps off the line and unveils the long-range piece behind it. The beauty is that the moving piece can create a second threat of its own — two attacks in one move. Look for your stacked pairs: a bishop or rook behind a knight or pawn, aimed through them at something valuable. Send the front piece to the most aggressive square — a discovery without a second threat wastes half its power.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e7·8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d3·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to e8 (f8·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to f8 (c8·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to d7 (c5·15)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to d1 (d3·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to f6 (e4·19)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to c2 (d1·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to a8 (a7·9)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to f3 (f6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: queen to f8 (f7·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Discovered attack: bishop to h7 (b1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Pin: bishop to f5Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Pin: rook to d6 (e6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to f5 (f1·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: rook to b7 (b3·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to b6 (d6·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: rook to f7 (g7·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to d6 (d4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to d8 (a8·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to g6 (d3·7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b6 (d5·7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: rook to g8 (g2·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: rook to b8 (b1·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: rook to a6 (a1·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (e7·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Winning blow: rook to e3 (c3·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Fork: rook to d2Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 3: queen to h7 (h3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h2 (h1·12)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 706 →