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The 1000-day course

Day 945: Winning blow

Target rating: 1846

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. Chess960 tactic on e8 (e7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Chess960 tactic on h2Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Chess960 tactic on d5 (d1·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Chess960 tactic on d6 (d1·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Chess960 tactic on f2 (g1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to d7 (c8·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to c4 (b4·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Win the hanging queen on d1 (g4·2)Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation
9. Chess960 tactic on c7 (b7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Fork: bishop to c3 (e5)Analysis
h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Black to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: king to f2 (f3·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: king to g1 (h1·10)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: king to e3 (d2·7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: king to g1 (h1·11)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: king to e3 (d2·8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Chess960 tactic on d6 (e5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Chess960 tactic on g3 (f2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: rook to g7 (g3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Chess960 tactic on c6 (g2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Fork: queen to h1Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Chess960 tactic on e8Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Fork: pawn to h4Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Chess960 tactic on c2Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Chess960 tactic on e7 (e1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Chess960 tactic on a6Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Chess960 tactic on c5 (d4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Chess960 tactic on e8 (g8)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Mate in 3: queen to d8 (e8·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: rook to e2 (e4·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Chess960 tactic on e3 (f3·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 946 →