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Day 167: Absolute pin

Lesson of the day

An absolute pin freezes a piece on the line between its own king and your long-range attacker: moving it is simply illegal. The pattern is three units on one straight line — your bishop, rook or queen, an enemy piece, and the enemy king behind it. A pinned piece neither attacks nor defends anything: treat it as if it were off the board. Pile up on it, ideally with a pawn, because running away is against the rules.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: pawn to d3 (c2·6)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to d1Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g4 (f3·12)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a4 (c2·3)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a5 (e1·4)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e4 (g5·2)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to c5 (b3)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a5 (e1·5)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f5 (b1·6)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b4 (e1·4)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (a1·3)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: pawn to f3 (e2·7)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to a6 (c7·2)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to a5 (b4·2)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e6 (h3)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: knight to f5 (d4)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a4 (c5·4)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to f5 (e4)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: knight to d7 (f6·3)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: bishop to b5 (d3)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a8 (a4·3)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to a1 (c1)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: bishop to g6 (f5)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to h5 (h3)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to g8 (e8)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 1: knight to f7 (h6·6)Shuffle Rating 1013Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Winning blow: bishop to a4 (c6)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Discovered attack: queen to e1Shuffle Rating 1079Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (a1·5)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to a4 (b3·6)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 168 →