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Day 359: Winning blow

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. Winning blow: rook to c1 (d1)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g5 (h4·26)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to d7 (f6·2)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b1 (a1·6)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to b8 (b3)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (g2)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to g6 (e7·2)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d8 (f7)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c6 (h1·4)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to g4 (g1)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c4 (b3·3)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h8 (b2·9)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: pawn to b7 (a6·3)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to a8 (a3·2)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d2·2)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: queen to g6Shuffle Rating 1123Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Deflection: queen to g6Shuffle Rating 1124Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: queen to e6 (d6)Shuffle Rating 1125Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Fork: queen to d4 (d7·2)Shuffle Rating 1128Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Deflection: knight to g6Shuffle Rating 1130Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: bishop to f3 (a8)Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Fork: bishop to d4 (e5·2)Shuffle Rating 1131Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to f1 (e2)Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Fork: knight to e5 (f3·2)Shuffle Rating 1132Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: pawn to e5Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: bishop to a3 (b4·2)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Castling-960 to the rescue on b1 (d1·3)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: rook to e1 (c1·4)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f3 (h3)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Mate in 2: rook to e4 (e8)Shuffle Rating 1216Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 360 →