Day 729: Clearance
Target rating: 1566
Lesson of the day
Clearance is about your own piece standing in the way of the decisive blow — so you move it aside, or even throw it away. The key is to clear with tempo: jump off with a check, a capture or a threat, giving the opponent no time to regroup. The telltale sign: you see a crushing queen or rook move, but one of your own pieces blocks the line or occupies the square. Do not cling to it — a clearance sacrifice usually costs less than a missed attack.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: rook to d1 (a1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to d5 (g8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to f6 (f2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to e7 (c5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: pawn to g5 (f4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: pawn to e7 (e6·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to d8 (d7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to f7 (f8·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to e4 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: knight to e6 (g5·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g2 (e3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to h7 (h5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to f5 (f4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: pawn to h4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (e7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: bishop to f3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: pawn to b7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to f7 (g7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d8 (d1·26)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: rook to h8 (h4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: pawn to f4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: knight to e5 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: king to c2 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: bishop to e6 (b3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: knight to b6 (a4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 730 →