Day 977: Winning blow
Target rating: 2063
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. Fork: bishop to g2 (c6)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to f7 (h5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to b5 (d4·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to g7 (g2·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to f7 (f1·31)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: pin on f4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to b7 (b1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to f6 (d6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Fork: queen to b1 (c2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
10. Fork: queen to e2 (e5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to e6 (g4·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to g6 (g2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to g5 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Rescue the king to d8 (e7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Win the hanging pawn on h3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Rescue the knight to d4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Chess960 tactic on b7 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Chess960 tactic on d6 (d1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Chess960 tactic on e1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: rook to d7 (d1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: knight to g5 (f3·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Chess960 tactic on g6 (g4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f4 (h4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d5 (h1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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