Day 827: Winning blow
Target rating: 1761
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 d6 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: queen to d5 (f5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to a8 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: queen to a3 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b5 (c4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f3 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: queen to d8 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: rook to e8 (e1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: knight to b7 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to d3 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Win the hanging queen on d1 (a4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Win the hanging queen on b6Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Win the hanging rook on e7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: bishop to e5 (a1·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b6 (d5·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: rook to c7 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: pawn to e5 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to f8 (d6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: rook to g2 (g4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: rook to e8 (e7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: rook to g4 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to f6 (a1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (h8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: knight to b5 (d4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: queen to e6 (c4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 828 →