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Day 878: Absolute pin

Lesson of the day

An absolute pin freezes a piece on the line between its own king and your long-range attacker: moving it is simply illegal. The pattern is three units on one straight line — your bishop, rook or queen, an enemy piece, and the enemy king behind it. A pinned piece neither attacks nor defends anything: treat it as if it were off the board. Pile up on it, ideally with a pawn, because running away is against the rules.

Warm-up

1. Mate in 3: rook to f8 (f1·5)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: knight to g6 (f4)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to e7 (e4)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b5 (e2·7)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: rook to d5 (d1·3)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: pawn to f5 (e4)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: knight to b5 (c3·6)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: knight to b6 (a4)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: rook to e1 (f1·3)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: rook to h7 (h5·4)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 3: pawn to d7 (d6·5)Shuffle Rating 1980Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: knight to b5 (c3·7)Shuffle Rating 1980Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: bishop to e4 (c6)Shuffle Rating 1980Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: rook to d3 (g3)Shuffle Rating 1980Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: knight to b6 (d5·2)Shuffle Rating 1980Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: knight to c5 (d3)Shuffle Rating 1943Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e3·7)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to d8 (d7·6)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to a7 (a8·3)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to c5 (b3·17)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: bishop to a3 (c1·2)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to c4 (c1·7)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: pawn to h6 (h5·5)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to b7 (b5·5)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to a5 (a6·6)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d5 (g2·6)Shuffle Rating 2010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Chess960 tactic on g7Shuffle Rating 2120Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Skewer: king to f3Shuffle Rating 2148Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: rook to f7 (f2·3)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Mate in 3: queen to g6 (h7·3)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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