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The 1000-day course

Day 898: Sacrifice attack

Target rating: 1896

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. Winning blow: queen to d6 (c6·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: bishop to g5 (e3·10)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to c8 (b8·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to g5 (c5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: pawn to f3 (g2·24)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to a8 (a1·15)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to c8 (a8·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to d8 (e7·6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: king to g2 (f1·19)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to e5 (b5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 3: bishop to h7 (b1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: rook to g8 (g6·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (c8·6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: bishop to g7 (e5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: knight to h6 (f5·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: rook to g2 (a2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: pin on e7Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: pawn to e5 (d4·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: queen to c6 (a8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: bishop to f6 (c3·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f8 (f4·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: pawn to b7 (c6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to f5 (b1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: queen to f3 (d1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: bishop to c6 (e8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 2: rook to b8 (b5·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Mate in 3: queen to g6 (d3·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Fork: pawn to f6 (f7)Analysis
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Black to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e8 (e7·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: bishop to f3 (h1·9)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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