Day 965: Win the pinned piece
Target rating: 2032
Lesson of the day
A pinned piece cannot flee, which means you can win it outright by attacking it one more time. Count attackers against defenders: if you outnumber them, the piece is yours. The best extra attacker is a pawn, since it costs less than anything it might capture. Do not rush the capture — build up the pressure first, then harvest.
Warm-up
1. Fork: pawn to g6 (g7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
2. Pin: knight to d4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
3. Fork: queen to g4 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Pin: bishop to c5Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
5. Fork: queen to f4 (f6)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
6. Fork: queen to h4 (g5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
7. Fork: rook to g6 (g1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to e6 (f5·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Fork: rook to b8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to h2 (c7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: queen to b6 (a6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Chess960 tactic on a5 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Chess960 tactic on d8 (c8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f8 (g8·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Chess960 tactic on e5 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: queen to a5 (a7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: knight to d5 (f6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: bishop to d7 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: queen to f7 (d5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: queen to b8 (b6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: bishop to g6 (f5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: knight to f6 (e4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to g5 (g4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: queen to h7 (h5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Win the hanging rook on f3 (f8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 966 →