Day 707: Winning blow
Target rating: 1361
Lesson of the day
A winning blow is a forced material gain that does not fit a single textbook motif. The general tactical recipe applies: spot loose pieces, an awkwardly placed king, overloaded lines. Go through the forcing moves in order of violence — checks, captures, threats — because most combinations start with one of them. Do not judge by feel: calculate the concrete line until the outcome is beyond doubt.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: king to h1 (g2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g5 (h4·29)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g3 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to c3 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to d1 (h1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: bishop to h4 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: king to c1 (d1·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: pawn to g6 (f5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: knight to d4 (b3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d4 (g1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: queen to c2 (d2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to f1 (f2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: queen to f2 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to e1 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f4 (d3·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: rook to h7 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to b7 (h1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to f6 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f7 (f4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: knight to f6 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d2 (a5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to d2 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: knight to f5 (g3·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to f1 (f2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to e1 (c3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 708 →