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Day 469: Winning blow

Lesson of the day

A winning blow is a forced material gain that does not fit a single textbook motif. The general tactical recipe applies: spot loose pieces, an awkwardly placed king, overloaded lines. Go through the forcing moves in order of violence — checks, captures, threats — because most combinations start with one of them. Do not judge by feel: calculate the concrete line until the outcome is beyond doubt.

Warm-up

1. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to h5 (g3·18)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h3 (f5)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g5 (f4·32)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e3 (f2·14)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b3 (a2·28)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e5 (a1·20)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c5 (d4·53)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d3 (c1)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b5 (b3)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e5 (f4)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: pawn to e4 (f3·9)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d4 (d1·13)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to g1 (g7·2)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: pawn to e4 (d3·9)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c6 (d5·5)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to g8 (a8)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to d5 (d3)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to e5 (c7)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to f6 (f5·2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to f6 (h8)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to f8 (e7·2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: pawn to g5 (h4·7)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to b6 (c7)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to a3 (b2·5)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to d6 (f8·2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 2: queen to b6 (a5)Shuffle Rating 1220Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Winning blow: queen to e8 (h5·4)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: rook to d4 (d7)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: knight to d7 (b6·2)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: king to b1 (c1·5)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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