Day 755: Only move
Target rating: 1606
Lesson of the day
An only move is a position where everything loses except one single continuation. You cannot play "by hand" here: run through fundamentally different defenses — run away, block, trade, counterattack — and discard the ones that fail. The hallmark of these puzzles is that the obvious moves lose quickly while the solution often looks strange. First understand exactly what the threat is — then the one saving move reveals itself.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: bishop to d3 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to a8 (f3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: bishop to g7 (d4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to f7 (g5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to g5 (c1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to e5 (c4·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to g8 (g5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: bishop to e4 (d3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to b5 (a4·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c6 (a8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Rescue the pawn to b3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f3 (f2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: king to d1 (c1·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d3 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: knight to e2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: queen to b3 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to f4 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: pawn to f5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: queen to a8 (d5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: queen to b4 (a4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: rook to f6 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: rook to f8 (a8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to c5 (f8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: queen to b5 (a4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: bishop to e6 (a2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 756 →