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Day 397: 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 h6 (g5)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: bishop to b7 (f3·2)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (c4·3)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c2 (e1·2)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to c6 (b4·3)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: pawn to b5 (a4·5)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: pawn to g6 (g5)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (d4·15)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e8 (d6·6)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (e4·3)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c7 (d5·29)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c5 (e4·4)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (d4·23)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: knight to c7 (b5·8)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: knight to e6 (c5·18)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g4 (g3·2)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g3 (g2)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to f3 (h1·4)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: pawn to c3 (c2·7)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h1 (g1·14)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to b7 (b6·7)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a2 (a7·2)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to b2 (d2)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e3 (d1·2)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to b3 (c4·2)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: knight to e5 (c4·7)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c5 (d3·12)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Mate in 2: queen to g1 (f2)Shuffle Rating 1409Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: knight to b5 (c3·15)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: rook to f5 (f2·2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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