Day 728: Setup fork
Target rating: 1413
Lesson of the day
A setup fork is a double attack that exists only because of the unusual starting squares — in classical chess these targets never stand side by side. Look for pairs of undefended pieces on your opponent's back rank and for squares from which a knight or pawn hits both at once. Such forks usually appear within the first moves, before the pieces disperse. In every new position, note right away which starting pieces are defended by no one.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: pawn to d7 (d6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to g2 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: pawn to e6 (f5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to e2 (g1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to b5 (b1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c4 (b3·42)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: pawn to f4 (e3·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c6 (a6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f3 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to f2 (g1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f7 (a2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to e7 (e5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: queen to e3 (a7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: rook to c7 (c6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to d7 (d4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to e6 (a2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (d4·37)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to e7 (h4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to a8 (a6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to f7 (f1·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to e8 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: bishop to g7 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: king to a3 (a2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: king to c2 (c1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 729 →