Day 799: Winning blow
Target rating: 1696
Lesson of the day
A winning blow is a forced material gain that does not fit a single textbook motif. The general tactical recipe applies: spot loose pieces, an awkwardly placed king, overloaded lines. Go through the forcing moves in order of violence — checks, captures, threats — because most combinations start with one of them. Do not judge by feel: calculate the concrete line until the outcome is beyond doubt.
Warm-up
1. Mate in 3: queen to c7 (a7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (c4·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to b6 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: knight to f6 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: queen to c7 (a7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: rook to g1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: rook to h7 (h8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: rook to d7 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: rook to h8 (h6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: bishop to c3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: bishop to b6 (e3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to c7 (c2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: queen to d7 (h3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: bishop to h7 (d3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to g7 (b2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to e7 (a3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (b1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f1·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c6 (c2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to c5 (e4·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: knight to e5 (d7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to e6 (h6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to g6 (f5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to d5 (d4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to b5 (b3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 800 →