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Day 746: 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: queen to g7 (g5·6)Shuffle Rating 1510Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to f7 (g8·4)Shuffle Rating 1510Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to f5 (c5·2)Shuffle Rating 1510Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to c6 (c4·2)Shuffle Rating 1510Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to c7 (a6·2)Shuffle Rating 1510Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to d6 (a3·5)Shuffle Rating 1510Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to g5 (g4·4)Shuffle Rating 1510Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to e5 (h5·3)Shuffle Rating 1510Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to e6 (d5·3)Shuffle Rating 1510Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to e7 (f7·2)Shuffle Rating 1510Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: rook to a5 (a3)Shuffle Rating 1700Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: knight to d7 (f6·12)Shuffle Rating 1700Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: pawn to c5 (c4·13)Shuffle Rating 1750Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Fork: rook to h5Shuffle Rating 1758Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c6 (c5·2)Shuffle Rating 1790Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: bishop to c5 (d4)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (c6)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: pawn to h6 (h5)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: rook to g5 (g4)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: rook to f5 (f1·3)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (e4·21)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to f4 (c1)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d6 (a3·4)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: pawn to d5 (d4)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: pin on d3Shuffle Rating 1636Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 3: knight to f8 (d7)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Winning blow: bishop to f4 (c1·9)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: queen to e6 (e7·4)Shuffle Rating 1890Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 3: bishop to d4 (e5)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: queen to e7 (c5·4)Shuffle Rating 1510Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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