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Day 338: Knight fork

Lesson of the day

A fork is one move that attacks two targets at once, and no piece forks better than the knight. Look through the knight's eyes: it jumps in an L and never moves along straight lines, which is exactly why its threats get missed. Both victims of a knight fork always stand on squares of one color, while the knight strikes from the opposite color. Hunt for the square from which the knight hits the king and a heavy piece at once.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: pawn to a4 (a2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to c1 (b1·2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to b7 (a8·2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (e5)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to e1 (c2)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e2 (g2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f7 (d5·4)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: king to e1Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to c2 (g2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d6)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: knight to d4 (e2·2)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f5 (h6·3)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to e4 (g5·3)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f5 (d6)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d4 (b5)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b6 (g1·8)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: king to d2 (d1·8)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to c4 (e2)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (d4·6)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f4 (d2·4)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f4 (f5)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: knight to b5 (c3·9)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e1 (a1·2)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: king to d2 (c1·8)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: pawn to g7 (h6·2)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c2 (c4)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Mate in 2: queen to f8 (f6)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Mate in 2: queen to g6 (h7)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Back-rank mate in 3 on f2 (c2·2)Shuffle Rating 1149Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: queen to d6 (h2)Shuffle Rating 1150Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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