Day 970: Quiet move
Target rating: 2045
Lesson of the day
A quiet move gives no check and takes nothing — yet it decides the game by creating an unstoppable threat or stealing the king's last square. This is the hardest class of moves: the eye hunts for loud blows while a modest shift does the winning. The clue: every forcing try runs into a defense, so seek the move that strengthens the threat or takes squares away. Train yourself to ask: what if I neither capture nor check, but quietly improve?
Warm-up
1. Chess960 tactic on d5 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Chess960 tactic on a2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Chess960 tactic on g6 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to b5 (f1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Chess960 tactic on f6 (g5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Chess960 tactic on e7 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Chess960 tactic on a8 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Chess960 tactic on e8 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Chess960 tactic on b4 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Chess960 tactic on d5 (d1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Trap the rook on d3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Fork: knight to f8 (g6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: queen to c6 (c4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: bishop to c5 (d4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to h5 (h4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: pawn to g5 (g6·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: queen to f8 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: pawn to h2 (h3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Rescue the pawn to e5Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Pin: knight to e6 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Win the hanging rook on b2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to e5 (c3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Chess960 tactic on b3 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Chess960 tactic on f6 (h7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Chess960 tactic on e8 (g8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 971 →