Day 798: Absolute pin
Target rating: 1546
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. Winning blow: king to c3 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to f1 (h1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (b1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: pawn to e3 (f2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to f5 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to a5 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to c4 (f4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b3 (a2·32)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (c4·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to c5 (f5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: bishop to e6 (b3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: bishop to g6 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (e7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to c8 (h3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: rook to g1 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: queen to b6 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: king to c2 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to f1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: knight to d5 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: bishop to b6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: queen to f5 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: knight to c7 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: knight to d7 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: queen to b6 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: queen to h6 (g6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 799 →