Day 790: Sacrifice attack
Target rating: 1693
Lesson of the day
A sacrificial attack gives up material on purpose to rip the king's shelter open and launch a decisive assault. The sac is sound when you get concrete assets in return: open lines to the king, tempi, pieces ready to pour in. The signs: a poorly sheltered king, your forces aimed at its home, defenders stranded far away. The iron rule is to calculate, not hope — once the material is gone, there is no way back.
Warm-up
1. Mate in 3: queen to d5 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: queen to c7 (h7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to e5 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: queen to g8 (b8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: queen to e6 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: queen to h8 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: king to f3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: king to h1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: queen to g8 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: pawn to c5 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: rook to c8 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: rook to c8 (c5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: knight to e7 (f5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e6 (c4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: rook to c8 (c1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d3 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Rescue the king to h6Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Win the hanging pawn on h6Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Win the hanging queen on e4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: king to b3 (c2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: king to f2 (f1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 1: queen to h6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Pin: knight to f4 (d5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 1: knight to g2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to f7 (h7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 791 →