Open in the app

Day 461: Deflection

Lesson of the day

Deflection forces the guard to leave its post: a sacrifice or exchange drags it away from the piece or square it protects. First find the critical defender — the piece whose absence makes the mate or the material win possible. Then find the move it cannot ignore, which is usually a capture. Do not be stingy: if removing the guard wins the queen or mates, the sacrifice pays for itself many times over.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: queen to d8 (d2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to e7 (e5)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to e6 (b6)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to d6 (b5·6)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to g7 (h6·3)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to e7 (d6·2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to h8 (h5)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to f7 (f3)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to c2 (d2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to b6 (b1)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: bishop to f8 (h6·2)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: king to b2 (c1·26)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: queen to c7 (c8·5)Shuffle Rating 1430Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Discovered attack: rook to e2Shuffle Rating 1434Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Deflection: rook to c4Shuffle Rating 1438Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: knight to b4 (d5)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to e1 (g1)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Skewer: bishop to a4Shuffle Rating 1207Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: rook to f7 (f5·2)Shuffle Rating 1220Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: bishop to a6 (c4)Shuffle Rating 1220Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to b1 (d1·6)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: knight to d7 (c5·11)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (f4·95)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to g4 (g1·2)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (f4·21)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 2: queen to a7 (a6·3)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Mate in 2: queen to c7 (f7)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Mate in 1: double attack on d1Shuffle Rating 1522Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c2 (b2·2)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: queen to c6 (e4·4)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 462 →