Day 781: Only move
Target rating: 1671
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. Mate in 3: bishop to g4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: rook to d8 (d1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: rook to b8 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: rook to c8 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: rook to f1 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 2: rook to g7 (c7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: knight to d7 (f8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: rook to e1 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Rescue the pawn to f6Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to h6 (h5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to a1 (a2·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: double attack on f8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: knight to g4 (f2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Discovered attack: queen to g4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d1 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to g3 (g1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: knight to c5 (b3·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: bishop to e6 (d7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: knight to e6 (c7·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to d4 (d2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: knight to b4 (d3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: bishop to g5 (f6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g4 (g3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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