Day 975: Winning blow
Target rating: 2058
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 d7 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to c7 (c5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Chess960 tactic on f6 (d4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Chess960 tactic on a7 (b7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to f7 (c7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d8 (d3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Chess960 tactic on a6 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Chess960 tactic on g6 (h7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Chess960 tactic on g7 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6 (b4·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Rescue the pawn to f3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Win the hanging king on d2 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Discovered attack: queen to d4 (g7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Rescue the pawn to g4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Rescue the king to h2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Chess960 tactic on d6 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Chess960 tactic on e6 (d5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: queen to e8 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Win the hanging rook on d6Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Rescue the king to f3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Rescue the pawn to b6 (a7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
22. Rescue the king to f8Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to d1 (c1)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
24. Chess960 tactic on f6 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Chess960 tactic on d7 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 976 →