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The 1000-day course

Day 981: Winning blow

Target rating: 2074

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 e7 (e1·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Chess960 tactic on d4 (c6)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Chess960 tactic on d6 (e5·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Chess960 tactic on h8 (h5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Chess960 tactic on f6 (f2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Chess960 tactic on e8 (e5·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c8 (c4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Chess960 tactic on e7 (e5·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a8 (g2·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Chess960 tactic on b7 (b3·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: bishop to h6 (e3·9)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Chess960 tactic on b7 (b1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Chess960 tactic on f8 (g7)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Chess960 tactic on f8 (f3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Chess960 tactic on c8 (g8·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Chess960 tactic on e1 (d1·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Chess960 tactic on f8 (f7·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Chess960 tactic on d5 (g2·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Chess960 tactic on e7 (e1·5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Chess960 tactic on b8 (b2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: knight to b5 (d6·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Chess960 tactic on d5 (c5·2)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Chess960 tactic on f3 (d1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Chess960 tactic on e1 (f1)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Chess960 tactic on e6 (f5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Chess960 tactic on e7 (c5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Chess960 tactic on f8 (b4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Chess960 tactic on g6 (f5·3)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Chess960 tactic on d5 (d4·4)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Chess960 tactic on a5 (c5)Analysis
a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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