Day 821: Clearance
Target rating: 1746
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: bishop to d4 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: bishop to b5 (c4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a8 (b7·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: rook to b7 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: knight to e3 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (e7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: queen to e5 (h2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: queen to b6 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6 (d4·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: rook to b5 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Discovered attack: pawn to e6 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Discovered attack: pawn to e5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Discovered attack: bishop to g6 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to c5 (c7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: pawn to g6 (h5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: queen to b6 (c5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to h6 (h3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to e5 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: bishop to a5 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: rook to a8 (a5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: queen to f8 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: bishop to d6 (b4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to a6 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: rook to b1 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: bishop to d6 (a3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 822 →