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Day 462: Winning exchange

Lesson of the day

A winning exchange is a forced series of captures on one square that leaves you ahead in material. It is pure arithmetic: count the attackers and defenders of the square and note the value of every piece in the queue. Capture in the right order — cheap pieces first, expensive ones later — or a winning trade turns into a losing one. The classic error is stopping the count halfway and missing the opponent's final recapture.

Warm-up

1. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f2 (d3·3)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g4 (c4)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e4 (f3·8)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d6 (e5·19)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (c4·2)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h6 (e3·2)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a2 (c3·5)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e5 (d3·13)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e4 (d5)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a3 (e3)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: rook to g6 (d6)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to d3 (b4·2)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: pawn to e6 (f5·8)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c4 (d3·39)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to e1 (h4)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g8 (h7·14)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (e4·12)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f6 (e5·3)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to c6 (e4·3)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: bishop to e7 (f6·3)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to d6 (d5)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to c6 (c1)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d3 (e1·2)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to e7 (d6·6)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to d6 (d5·2)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c3 (a3·3)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Winning blow: bishop to g5 (c1·6)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: rook to e8 (f8·3)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: queen to h8 (d4·3)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: queen to c7 (a5)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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