Day 779: Clearance
Target rating: 1666
Lesson of the day
Clearance is about your own piece standing in the way of the decisive blow — so you move it aside, or even throw it away. The key is to clear with tempo: jump off with a check, a capture or a threat, giving the opponent no time to regroup. The telltale sign: you see a crushing queen or rook move, but one of your own pieces blocks the line or occupies the square. Do not cling to it — a clearance sacrifice usually costs less than a missed attack.
Warm-up
1. Mate in 3: queen to f6 (d4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: queen to d8 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to c6 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: rook to e1 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: queen to c6 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: rook to e7 (e1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: rook to g4 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: knight to c5 (a4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: bishop to c3 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to f5 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Discovered attack: pawn to e6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Discovered attack: bishop to d5 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: rook to c7 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Discovered attack: knight to e5 (c4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Pin: pawn to f4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to b6 (a7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to f5 (e6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to f6 (h4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to d6 (d4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: pawn to c4 (c2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to a1 (e1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: bishop to e2 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: king to c1 (d1·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: bishop to h5 (f3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: pawn to h3 (h2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 780 →