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Day 475: 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: bishop to f5 (b1·5)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to b5 (e2·3)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d7·3)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to c4 (d5·2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to e7 (g5)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to f4 (f2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e4 (d3·5)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to e5 (a1·2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d4 (g1·3)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f3 (e2·5)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: queen to c3 (d3)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to d6 (b5·16)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: queen to g6 (h5·7)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to a8 (e4·3)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to f7 (f4·5)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: king to a3 (b2·2)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: pawn to f7 (f6·10)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: pawn to f5 (e4·11)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Skewer: rook to f7 (f4)Shuffle Rating 1242Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: king to a2 (b2·2)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to f5 (g4·10)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h8 (h7·7)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: king to c2 (b2·4)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: king to a1 (b1·20)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: pawn to b4 (c3)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 1: rook to a1 (a2)Shuffle Rating 1429Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
27. Back-rank mate in 3 on f7 (d7)Shuffle Rating 1352Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Mate in 1: queen to h1 (f3·3)Shuffle Rating 1430Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: king to h1 (g1·19)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: king to c3 (d2·6)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 476 →