Day 844: Absolute pin
Target rating: 1796
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. Mate in 3: knight to d7 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 2: bishop to g6 (b1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (b8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: queen to a5 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: knight to c6 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: king to e2 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: bishop to f6 (h8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: rook to f1 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: queen to a8 (a7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to e6 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: queen to b6 (d4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to b5 (d5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Fork: bishop to d6 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: bishop to f4 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: bishop to h4 (f2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to g6 (g7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: pawn to d8 (d7·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to e8 (c6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f7·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (c4·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to e8 (h8·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: pawn to g7 (h6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to b5 (c4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: bishop to h6 (g5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to f7 (f5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 845 →