Day 989: Winning blow
Target rating: 2094
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 e8 (e7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d8 (d6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Chess960 tactic on h6 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Trap the queen on c3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Skewer: queen to f2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
6. Deflection: queen to d6 (c7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
7. Discovered attack: bishop to c3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
8. Rescue the pawn to e3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: deflection on d1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
10. Win the hanging bishop on f8Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Pin: queen to a1 (e5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Win the hanging king on f2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Win the hanging queen on d3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Win the hanging queen on e3 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Discovered attack: knight to h6 (f5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: king to g7Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Rescue the rook to d1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: fork on e4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: queen to h6 (g6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Fork: knight to f2 (d3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Rescue the knight to e5 (g6)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
22. Rescue the rook to d1 (d8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Fork: rook to f2 (f8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
24. Rescue the rook to d5 (d1)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
25. Win the hanging queen on a8 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 990 →