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Day 806: 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 d2 (h6)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: king to d2 (c2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a6 (e2·5)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: knight to f7 (e5·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: queen to e5 (f5·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: bishop to g4 (d1·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: queen to a8 (f3·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: pawn to f8 (f7)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: queen to b5 (a6)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to h5 (d1·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 2: rook to f1 (f2·3)Shuffle Rating 1741Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: knight to e6 (c7·2)Shuffle Rating 1747Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: queen to e1 (e3)Shuffle Rating 1642Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (e2·3)Shuffle Rating 1775Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: rook to h1 (h7)Shuffle Rating 1639Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: knight to a5Shuffle Rating 1818Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: king to c2 (d1)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to f8 (a3·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: queen to e7 (f7·4)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: pawn to e6 (e5·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (e7)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: knight to b8Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: knight to c3Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: pawn to g6 (h5·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: rook to b1Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: rook to c7 (c1·24)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Pin: queen to f6 (f3)Shuffle Rating 1988Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Mate in 3: rook to f7 (f1·7)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Pin: rook to h2Shuffle Rating 1819Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Mate in 1: knight to h2 (g4)Shuffle Rating 1836Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 807 →