Day 905: Absolute pin
Target rating: 1906
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. Winning blow: queen to f5 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to e4 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to f5 (b1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to d5 (d1·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: pawn to c3 (d2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to g8 (h8·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to b5 (f1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: knight to a2 (b4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: knight to e5 (c6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to b3 (b1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Fork: knight to f3 (e5·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: queen to e5 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Chess960 tactic on b5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Chess960 tactic on d3 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Chess960 tactic on b7 (b8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: fork on e7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to f2 (f6·4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: pawn to f5 (f4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: fork on f2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to d6 (f5·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to e4 (b1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: pawn to h4 (h2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to h5 (e2·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: knight to b6 (d5·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: knight to b4 (d3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 906 →