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Day 827: Winning blow

Lesson of the day

A winning blow is a forced material gain that does not fit a single textbook motif. The general tactical recipe applies: spot loose pieces, an awkwardly placed king, overloaded lines. Go through the forcing moves in order of violence — checks, captures, threats — because most combinations start with one of them. Do not judge by feel: calculate the concrete line until the outcome is beyond doubt.

Warm-up

1. Mate in 3: queen to d6 (f6)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: queen to d5 (f5·3)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to a8 (d5·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: queen to a3 (b2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b5 (c4·3)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f3 (b3)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: queen to d8 (d2·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: rook to e8 (e1·5)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: knight to b7 (c5)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to d3 (d2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Win the hanging queen on d1 (a4)Shuffle Rating 1852Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Win the hanging queen on b6Shuffle Rating 1857Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Win the hanging rook on e7Shuffle Rating 1862Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: bishop to e5 (a1·18)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b6 (d5·9)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: rook to c7 (c1·2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: pawn to e5 (e4·2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to f8 (d6·4)Shuffle Rating 1761Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: rook to g2 (g4)Shuffle Rating 1761Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: rook to e8 (e7·4)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: rook to g4 (g5)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to f6 (a1·3)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (h8·2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: knight to b5 (d4·2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: queen to e6 (c4·4)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 3: rook to h1 (f1)Shuffle Rating 1970Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
27. Mate in 3: queen to h6 (c1·3)Shuffle Rating 1980Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Mate in 2: pawn to g4 (g5·2)Shuffle Rating 2088Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 2: knight to d6 (f7)Shuffle Rating 1670Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d6 (e7·3)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 828 →