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Day 473: 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: rook to h7 (g7)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to a8 (h1·2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to e7 (e4·2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to g2 (d2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to f6 (h8·2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to g6 (e6)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to f7 (d7·2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to c7 (c6)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6 (e7·2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to d7 (h3)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: knight to f6 (e4·22)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g6 (f4·10)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to b5 (d4·6)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: knight to d4 (b5·3)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to b7 (b8·6)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to b6 (b3·5)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e7 (c7)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b6 (b1·3)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to c7 (g7·3)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d7 (h3·2)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to b7 (b3·2)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: bishop to b7 (a8·2)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e4·5)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to e3 (e2·3)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f4 (d2·4)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: bishop to e2 (f3·2)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Castling-960 to the rescue on d8 (c8)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: pawn to f7 (f6·12)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 2: queen to b7 (f3)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: king to d1 (e1·8)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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