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Day 781: 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. Mate in 3: bishop to g4Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: rook to d8 (d1·4)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: rook to b8 (b2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (e4)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (d8)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: rook to c8 (c5)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: rook to f1 (e1)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 2: rook to g7 (c7·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: knight to d7 (f8)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: rook to e1 (d1)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Rescue the pawn to f6Shuffle Rating 1676Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to h6 (h5·2)Shuffle Rating 1687Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to a1 (a2·2)Shuffle Rating 1652Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: double attack on f8Shuffle Rating 1651Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: knight to g4 (f2·4)Shuffle Rating 1650Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Discovered attack: queen to g4Shuffle Rating 1752Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d1 (c2)Shuffle Rating 1750Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to g3 (g1·3)Shuffle Rating 1750Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: knight to c5 (b3·16)Shuffle Rating 1750Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: bishop to e6 (d7·2)Shuffle Rating 1750Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: knight to e6 (c7·9)Shuffle Rating 1750Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to d4 (d2·3)Shuffle Rating 1750Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: knight to b4 (d3·6)Shuffle Rating 1750Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: bishop to g5 (f6·2)Shuffle Rating 1750Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g4 (g3·5)Shuffle Rating 1750Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Pin: pawn to f7Shuffle Rating 1863Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Deflection: rook to c5 (c3)Shuffle Rating 1948Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
28. Mate in 3: queen to b7 (a6·2)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c6 (f3·2)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Mate in 3: bishop to d4 (b6)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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