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Day 454: Overload

Lesson of the day

Overloading exploits a defender with two jobs at once — guarding a piece and covering a mating square, for instance. It cannot do both: your first strike forces it to handle one duty and abandon the other. Find the overworked piece by asking what happens to each of its charges if it gets distracted. Then hit one target and collect the other — an overloaded defender only pretends to defend.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: knight to e7 (d5·14)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: king to d2 (d1·4)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to f6 (f5)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: king to d3 (d2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c7 (b5·26)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: king to e3 (d2·3)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e7 (d5·13)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: king to b2 (c1·9)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to f6 (c3·3)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to e2 (d2·2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: rook to d5 (d1·10)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: pawn to c6 (c5·3)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to f5 (e3·15)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to h8 (b8·2)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: pawn to g3 (h2·14)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d2 (c1)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c3 (a3·2)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a4 (c2·3)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to g6 (g1·6)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to d7 (d8)Shuffle Rating 1220Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to c7 (c6·8)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d2)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g3 (h2·30)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: king to c3 (d2·7)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to e2 (e1·9)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 2: queen to g7 (e7)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Mate in 2: queen to f7 (g6)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Mate in 2: deflection on e7Shuffle Rating 1365Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: queen to h4 (g4)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: knight to d6 (f5·9)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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