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Day 810: Setup fork

Lesson of the day

A setup fork is a double attack that exists only because of the unusual starting squares — in classical chess these targets never stand side by side. Look for pairs of undefended pieces on your opponent's back rank and for squares from which a knight or pawn hits both at once. Such forks usually appear within the first moves, before the pieces disperse. In every new position, note right away which starting pieces are defended by no one.

Warm-up

1. Mate in 3: queen to f6 (g5·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: king to h4Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f8 (f5·4)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: queen to f6 (d4·3)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: queen to g7 (f8)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: rook to c7 (c2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: knight to c5 (a6)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: rook to c1 (c4)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: queen to a6 (b7)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to b8 (b1)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e8 (c8)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: knight to c5 (b3)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: pawn to g8Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: bishop to d6 (a3·2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: queen to f5 (e4·3)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b2 (d3·7)Shuffle Rating 1840Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to c1 (c6)Shuffle Rating 1840Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Pin: king to f3Shuffle Rating 1827Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Win the hanging pawn on e5Shuffle Rating 1837Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Win the hanging king on h4Shuffle Rating 1837Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: bishop to e5 (d6)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to e1 (a5)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (e4·3)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: rook to g1 (e1)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: queen to e6 (c4·3)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Discovered attack: queen to c8 (c6)Shuffle Rating 1845Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Rescue the king to h1Shuffle Rating 1965Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Mate in 1: queen to h5 (g5)Shuffle Rating 2022Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 2: queen to h8 (b2·2)Shuffle Rating 1859Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Mate in 3: knight to b5 (c3)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 811 →