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Day 755: Only move

Lesson of the day

An only move is a position where everything loses except one single continuation. You cannot play "by hand" here: run through fundamentally different defenses — run away, block, trade, counterattack — and discard the ones that fail. The hallmark of these puzzles is that the obvious moves lose quickly while the solution often looks strange. First understand exactly what the threat is — then the one saving move reveals itself.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: bishop to d3 (f1·3)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to a8 (f3·6)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: bishop to g7 (d4·3)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to f7 (g5·8)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to g5 (c1·13)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to e5 (c4·8)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to g8 (g5·2)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: bishop to e4 (d3·2)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to b5 (a4·15)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c6 (a8·2)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Rescue the pawn to b3Shuffle Rating 1608Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f3 (f2·7)Shuffle Rating 1610Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: king to d1 (c1·17)Shuffle Rating 1610Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d3 (e4·2)Shuffle Rating 1620Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: knight to e2Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: queen to b3 (h3)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to f4 (f7)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: pawn to f5Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: queen to a8 (d5·3)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: queen to b4 (a4)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: rook to f6 (f1)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: rook to f8 (a8)Shuffle Rating 1670Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to c5 (f8)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: queen to b5 (a4)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: bishop to e6 (a2)Shuffle Rating 1670Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Pin: queen to e8Shuffle Rating 1750Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Winning blow: pawn to d8 (c7·2)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Fork: pawn to d7Shuffle Rating 1934Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 2: queen to b2 (e5)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Win the hanging bishop on a4Shuffle Rating 1548Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 756 →