Day 923: Winning blow
Target rating: 1951
Lesson of the day
A winning blow is a forced material gain that does not fit a single textbook motif. The general tactical recipe applies: spot loose pieces, an awkwardly placed king, overloaded lines. Go through the forcing moves in order of violence — checks, captures, threats — because most combinations start with one of them. Do not judge by feel: calculate the concrete line until the outcome is beyond doubt.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to f7 (e8·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to h8 (d8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: pawn to c6 (d5·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to h6 (f5·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (h1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: king to b1 (c1·40)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to d6 (e6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to c6 (e6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: knight to g7 (e6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to e7 (f8·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Fork: knight to e4 (c5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Win the hanging queen on a5Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to c7 (d7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: rook to c6 (c4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to g8 (g6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: queen to a7 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: knight to f6 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: pawn to b6 (a5·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: queen to f5 (c2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: pawn to g5 (h4·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: bishop to f5 (d3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to d6 (d5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: bishop to e5 (c3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to g4 (d1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: queen to h6 (h3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 924 →