Day 710: Absolute pin
Target rating: 1518
Lesson of the day
An absolute pin freezes a piece on the line between its own king and your long-range attacker: moving it is simply illegal. The pattern is three units on one straight line — your bishop, rook or queen, an enemy piece, and the enemy king behind it. A pinned piece neither attacks nor defends anything: treat it as if it were off the board. Pile up on it, ideally with a pawn, because running away is against the rules.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to f3 (a3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to e3 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to h4 (d4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to c1 (a3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d4 (d3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to e2 (g1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to b6 (b2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to e2 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: rook to c4 (d4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to f2 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: queen to e6 (e2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to c1 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e3 (c1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to f8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: queen to a5 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: queen to g3 (h3·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: knight to h6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to e7 (e6·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to d8 (b8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to b5 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to f7 (b3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to f6 (h8·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to c6 (b5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to c7 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 711 →