Day 734: Sacrifice attack
Target rating: 1578
Lesson of the day
A sacrificial attack gives up material on purpose to rip the king's shelter open and launch a decisive assault. The sac is sound when you get concrete assets in return: open lines to the king, tempi, pieces ready to pour in. The signs: a poorly sheltered king, your forces aimed at its home, defenders stranded far away. The iron rule is to calculate, not hope — once the material is gone, there is no way back.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: rook to e2 (e1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: king to g1 (f2·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: king to a1 (b1·25)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: king to c3 (d2·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: pawn to d4 (d2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: king to a2 (b1·42)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: king to b1 (c1·39)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: king to h2 (g1·42)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: king to h4 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to b2 (b3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: bishop to c2 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: rook to g8 (b8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: knight to b5 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d8 (d1·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: queen to h8 (h7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Pin: bishop to f2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Discovered attack: bishop to c6Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: bishop to b6 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: bishop to f6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: rook to f8 (f3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: queen to e5 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c6 (e4·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to d4 (c3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: queen to a7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c7 (d5·32)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 735 →