Day 775: Absolute pin
Target rating: 1656
Lesson of the day
An absolute pin freezes a piece on the line between its own king and your long-range attacker: moving it is simply illegal. The pattern is three units on one straight line — your bishop, rook or queen, an enemy piece, and the enemy king behind it. A pinned piece neither attacks nor defends anything: treat it as if it were off the board. Pile up on it, ideally with a pawn, because running away is against the rules.
Warm-up
1. Mate in 3: queen to h8 (h6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: queen to e7 (h4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to f6 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: rook to h7 (h3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: queen to a8 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f7 (e6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: knight to c5 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: bishop to d6 (c5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: rook to c3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to b2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: rook to d6 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: knight to b5 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: bishop to e3 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to g4 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: knight to e5 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: queen to b8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to h1 (c6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 1: knight to c6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: bishop to c1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: deflection on g5 (g4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b7 (b6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to d6 (c5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to g8 (g1·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to e5 (e3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to a5 (b6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 776 →