Day 735: Winning blow
Target rating: 1431
Lesson of the day
A winning blow is a forced material gain that does not fit a single textbook motif. The general tactical recipe applies: spot loose pieces, an awkwardly placed king, overloaded lines. Go through the forcing moves in order of violence — checks, captures, threats — because most combinations start with one of them. Do not judge by feel: calculate the concrete line until the outcome is beyond doubt.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: rook to b1 (d1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to e8 (h8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to g6 (e5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to c4 (b6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to h4 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: king to f2 (e1·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h1 (g1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to b5 (c4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to f2 (e2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: rook to e5 (e1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: bishop to b6 (a7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to f6 (e4·25)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: rook to b6 (d6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to b8 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: pawn to b5 (b4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to e5 (d4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to g7 (h6·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: knight to d5 (f6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to f6 (g4·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to e7 (e5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to h7 (h4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to a5 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to c6 (c1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to c8 (c2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 736 →