Day 914: Quiet move
Target rating: 1928
Lesson of the day
A quiet move gives no check and takes nothing — yet it decides the game by creating an unstoppable threat or stealing the king's last square. This is the hardest class of moves: the eye hunts for loud blows while a modest shift does the winning. The clue: every forcing try runs into a defense, so seek the move that strengthens the threat or takes squares away. Train yourself to ask: what if I neither capture nor check, but quietly improve?
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to h2 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: pawn to g5 (h4·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: pawn to d7 (c6·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to d3 (e2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to f7 (g8·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to e8 (h8·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: bishop to d6 (a3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to d3 (d1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to e6 (e5·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to f2 (e1·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: bishop to h6 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: pawn to g6 (g5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e1·29)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to a1 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to g7 (g4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: queen to f3 (d5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: double attack on f1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to e5 (a1)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: bishop to h6 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g6 (b1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: queen to g5 (c1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to f7 (e8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d8 (d1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: bishop to d6 (b8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: queen to b6 (d4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 915 →