Day 960: Absolute pin
Target rating: 2019
Lesson of the day
An absolute pin freezes a piece on the line between its own king and your long-range attacker: moving it is simply illegal. The pattern is three units on one straight line — your bishop, rook or queen, an enemy piece, and the enemy king behind it. A pinned piece neither attacks nor defends anything: treat it as if it were off the board. Pile up on it, ideally with a pawn, because running away is against the rules.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: rook to e4 (g4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to h5 (f3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to b4 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to c1 (h1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to f7 (f6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to b8 (b1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to d6 (c4·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to f6 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to e7 (a3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d1·26)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a5 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Chess960 tactic on f4 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Chess960 tactic on f6 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Chess960 tactic on e7 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Chess960 tactic on g7 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to a5 (d2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: bishop to e5 (b2·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to e6 (a2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to g7 (g5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (e6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: knight to e7 (d5·25)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to g5 (c1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: pawn to f7 (f6·24)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: bishop to f5 (b1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to f5 (e4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 961 →