Day 941: Sacrifice attack
Target rating: 1996
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 f6 (g5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to f6 (d7·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to e7 (c5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to c6 (c2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (f4·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to f6 (d4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to d4 (f2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to d6 (d3·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to g6 (e8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Fork: knight to h5 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to e5 (f3·22)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: rook to g8 (a8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Fork: knight to f7 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: knight to d7 (e5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: knight to g6 (e5·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to c6 (e8·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to b7 (b3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to e7 (d7·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f8 (f2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: knight to e6 (d4·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e8 (d8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to d8 (g8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to e6 (c8·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Fork: queen to d7 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 942 →