Day 746: Winning exchange
Target rating: 1596
Lesson of the day
A winning exchange is a forced series of captures on one square that leaves you ahead in material. It is pure arithmetic: count the attackers and defenders of the square and note the value of every piece in the queue. Capture in the right order — cheap pieces first, expensive ones later — or a winning trade turns into a losing one. The classic error is stopping the count halfway and missing the opponent's final recapture.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to g7 (g5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to f7 (g8·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to f5 (c5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to c6 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to c7 (a6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to d6 (a3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to g5 (g4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to e5 (h5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to e6 (d5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to e7 (f7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: rook to a5 (a3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to d7 (f6·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: pawn to c5 (c4·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Fork: rook to h5Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c6 (c5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: bishop to c5 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (c6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: pawn to h6 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: rook to g5 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: rook to f5 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (e4·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to f4 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d6 (a3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: pawn to d5 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: pin on d3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 747 →