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Day 599: 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. Winning blow: bishop to g2 (h1·3)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to h2 (f2)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d2 (c2)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to c4 (e3·3)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f6 (h7)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to b5 (d3·2)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e5 (d4·4)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: knight to h8 (f7·4)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to e8 (h5·2)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b2 (b5)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: knight to h6 (g4·2)Shuffle Rating 1430Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to d4 (a4·4)Shuffle Rating 1430Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Pin: queen to h3 (d7)Shuffle Rating 1479Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: knight to e5 (f3·16)Shuffle Rating 1480Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c2 (e1·7)Shuffle Rating 1480Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d7 (h3·4)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to f8 (f3·2)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to b8 (b1·4)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to a5 (a2)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to h8 (b2)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b2 (c1·2)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f6 (a1·25)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (d8)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (e4·7)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to f5 (g4)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (a1·22)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Mate in 3: rook to f1 (d1·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Mate in 3: knight to c6 (e5)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 2: rook to e8 (f8·3)Shuffle Rating 1450Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c3 (b2·28)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 600 →