Day 716: Blocking save
Target rating: 1533
Lesson of the day
The blocking save: you interpose a piece against the check — not passively, but with tempo, so the blocker creates a threat of its own. Such a block turns defense into attack. Whenever you are checked, compare all three replies — capture, move the king, interpose — and among the interpositions hunt for the one that counterattacks. The mistake is automatically stepping aside with the king when an active block would have turned the game around.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to d6 (c5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to g6 (g3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to h7 (h6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to e6 (c4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to b7 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to e6 (d6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to c6 (c1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to g5 (e7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f6 (d5·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: rook to g2 (g1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to d1 (d6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to g1 (g3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g2 (h1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: pawn to g4 (g3·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: queen to d5 (f5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: queen to e6 (g6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to a3 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to f1 (e1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to e6 (d6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g4 (g3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g5 (c1·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to d1 (c1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to e3 (a3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g6 (g5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 717 →