Day 919: Sacrifice attack
Target rating: 1941
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: pawn to c3 (d2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to g8 (c4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: pawn to d6 (c5·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to e6 (c5·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: pawn to b4 (c3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (h1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to c5 (g1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to e7 (e8·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: king to f1 (g1·30)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to f7 (h5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: knight to e2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: pin on g3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Fork: rook to g4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: rook to g3 (f3·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Fork: rook to f3 (f1)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: pawn to f7 (g6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: knight to c6 (a5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to d6 (d2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: queen to c6 (a4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: queen to e7 (e6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: queen to f7 (e6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to g5 (g3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to d5 (b3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: queen to e4 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: rook to a8 (a3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 920 →