Day 738: Royal fork
Target rating: 1588
Lesson of the day
A royal fork is a fork with check — one of the two targets is the king itself. The check must be answered first, so nobody is left to rescue the second piece. Look for squares where your piece gives check and simultaneously attacks an undefended queen or rook. It is the most reliable fork of all, because your opponent literally has no choice.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to b4 (c3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to d1 (a1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f8 (a3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to f1 (g1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to a7 (b5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to e7 (e1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to b8 (b1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (e4·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: knight to f5 (e3·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: knight to e5 (d3·22)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c6 (h1·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: rook to e5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to a6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: bishop to a5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 1: queen to d5 (a2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: double attack on e6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to b8 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: knight to c8 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Back-rank mate in 3 on d1 (d8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: discovered attack on f3 (d2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: pawn to e6 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to f6 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: knight to e5 (d3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: pawn to f7 (f6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 739 →