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Day 875: 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: rook to e8 (e7·5)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: knight to c5 (d7)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to h7 (e4)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: rook to d7 (e7)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: bishop to e4 (h1·3)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: queen to b5 (a6·2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: bishop to f5 (d3·5)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: bishop to a6 (d3·2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: knight to b6 (d7·2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to g6 (h6·4)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 2: pin on h8Shuffle Rating 1822Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: rook to a8 (a1·2)Shuffle Rating 1828Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: rook to g6 (g3)Shuffle Rating 1829Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to f5 (f2)Shuffle Rating 1830Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: rook to f8 (f1·14)Shuffle Rating 1838Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d3 (c2·5)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: knight to f8 (e6·2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to c4 (c7·2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: bishop to b6 (e3·2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: bishop to a4 (c2·2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: knight to e6 (g7)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: rook to g7 (g1·4)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: bishop to e4 (d3)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: bishop to d2 (c3)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: bishop to d6 (g3·2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 2: double attack on e6 (c4)Shuffle Rating 1935Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Pin: queen to c5Shuffle Rating 1958Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f7 (g5·31)Shuffle Rating 2010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 3: queen to h4 (f2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e4 (b1·13)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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