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Day 360: Development punish

Lesson of the day

Punishing lazy development: half of your opponent's army is asleep on its starting squares, which means you outnumber him where the fight is. Count not the pieces on the board but the pieces in play — if five or more of his pieces have never moved, look for a forcing attack. The sign is a development lead plus open lines toward his king. Strike immediately: give him two quiet moves and the advantage evaporates.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: king to b3 (a2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to g4 (g5)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to h7 (h8·2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to h1 (g3·4)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c1 (d1·4)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d4 (a7)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: bishop to a4 (c2·3)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to f4 (e5·2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to f4 (g3·9)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: pawn to e3 (e2·2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: king to g1 (f1·20)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to h1 (g1·7)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to h1 (g1·8)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: pawn to g4 (g2·5)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: knight to a3 (b1·2)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: rook to c3Shuffle Rating 1142Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: queen to e1 (e5)Shuffle Rating 1132Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: queen to f7 (b7)Shuffle Rating 1132Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to a7 (a6)Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Fork: queen to g5 (e7·2)Shuffle Rating 1136Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to d6 (e5)Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Deflection: rook to e7Shuffle Rating 1139Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to e6 (f5·2)Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Fork: bishop to f2 (d4)Shuffle Rating 1142Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: rook to g4Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: rook to c6 (c5·2)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Winning blow: bishop to h6 (e3·6)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: king to a1 (b1·24)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Deflection: rook to c1Shuffle Rating 1221Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: king to f1 (e1·6)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 361 →