Day 896: Only move
Target rating: 1746
Lesson of the day
An only move is a position where everything loses except one single continuation. You cannot play "by hand" here: run through fundamentally different defenses — run away, block, trade, counterattack — and discard the ones that fail. The hallmark of these puzzles is that the obvious moves lose quickly while the solution often looks strange. First understand exactly what the threat is — then the one saving move reveals itself.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: pawn to d7 (c6·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: bishop to e8 (f7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: pawn to e6 (e5·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to h5 (h4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: pawn to g6 (h5·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to h7 (f7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to g6 (g4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to b8 (a7·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to e8 (h5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: bishop to f2 (c5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c7 (c1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: queen to a7 (g7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to b8 (b3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Rescue the rook to d4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to d5 (d1·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to h3 (h1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to c2 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to b6 (a5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to a8 (a5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (f3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to d6 (c6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to e7 (d8·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: knight to f6 (d7·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to e5 (b2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 897 →