Day 973: Winning blow
Target rating: 1903
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 f6 (g6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: deflection on g4 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: knight to g1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: knight to g3 (f5·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
5. Fork: queen to d3 (g6)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
6. Fork: knight to f6 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Fork: knight to d2 (c4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Fork: queen to c5 (a5·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
9. Fork: bishop to e5 (d4·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
10. Fork: queen to e3 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Pin: queen to f7 (h5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Fork: queen to d5 (d4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c4 (e2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Fork: king to f3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: bishop to f6 (a1·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: knight to e1 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Chess960 tactic on d6 (f5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: pawn to d2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Chess960 tactic on e7 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Fork: queen to d8 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Chess960 tactic on d7 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Fork: queen to d2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to a7 (a8·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Chess960 tactic on d5 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Chess960 tactic on c7 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 974 →