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The 1000-day course

Day 822: Sacrifice attack

Target rating: 1748

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: king to h1 (h2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: pawn to f8 (f7·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to e7 (h4·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: queen to c6 (b6·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: queen to d7 (d5·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: rook to a3 (c3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: rook to g7 (g1·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: bishop to b7Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: queen to d6 (c6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to b7 (e4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 3: double attack on h3Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: king to g1 (f1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: rook to d6 (d1·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to c7 (h7·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: bishop to e8 (f7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: rook to f5 (f8·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (f2·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to h7 (d7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: queen to b5 (f1·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: rook to h7 (h4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: queen to h5 (f3·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g7 (c7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to g5 (e7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: rook to g7 (g5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: rook to e6 (e1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Back-rank mate in 3 on d8 (d5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Deflection: queen to h4Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation
28. Pin: queen to f5Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: rook to f1 (b1·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e6 (g6·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 823 →