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Day 739: Absolute pin

Lesson of the day

An absolute pin freezes a piece on the line between its own king and your long-range attacker: moving it is simply illegal. The pattern is three units on one straight line — your bishop, rook or queen, an enemy piece, and the enemy king behind it. A pinned piece neither attacks nor defends anything: treat it as if it were off the board. Pile up on it, ideally with a pawn, because running away is against the rules.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: queen to h4 (g3·2)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: pawn to b6 (c5·7)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to f7 (f1·10)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b2 (e2·2)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: pawn to f7 (g6·3)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: bishop to c5 (b6·5)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to b6 (c5)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to g7 (g3·6)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to f2 (e1·2)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to h7 (h8·5)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h8 (f6·4)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: queen to h7 (c2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: bishop to g6Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: rook to a3 (b3)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: queen to c5 (d4·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: pawn to e6Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c6 (d5·39)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d8 (c8·3)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to f8 (d6·5)Shuffle Rating 1670Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a5 (e1·18)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: knight to d4 (b5)Shuffle Rating 1670Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to d8Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: knight to b6 (d5·5)Shuffle Rating 1670Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: knight to g5Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c7 (b5·29)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (e1·2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Winning blow: rook to f5 (f1·11)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Discovered attack: queen to g6Shuffle Rating 1904Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g8 (h8)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (e8·2)Shuffle Rating 1610Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 740 →