Day 990: Winning blow
Target rating: 2097
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. Win the hanging queen on b8Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
2. Pin: queen to h4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
3. Rescue the pawn to c5Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
4. Win the hanging pawn on f5Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
5. Fork: knight to f5 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Rescue the king to f4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
7. Fork: queen to c2 (d1)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
8. Win the hanging queen on c7Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
9. Rescue the rook to f6Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to g5 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: queen to e2 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to b6 (b3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g2 (g1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to b7 (g2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: knight to g5 (h3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to b8 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to b7 (h7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to b7 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to c7 (f4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to f7 (f8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c5 (a5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to e8 (b8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: bishop to f8 (g7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to d8 (g5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to f7 (f1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 991 →