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Day 890: Quiet move

Lesson of the day

A quiet move gives no check and takes nothing — yet it decides the game by creating an unstoppable threat or stealing the king's last square. This is the hardest class of moves: the eye hunts for loud blows while a modest shift does the winning. The clue: every forcing try runs into a defense, so seek the move that strengthens the threat or takes squares away. Train yourself to ask: what if I neither capture nor check, but quietly improve?

Warm-up

1. Mate in 3: bishop to h5 (f3·2)Shuffle Rating 1860Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: rook to b7 (b5·3)Shuffle Rating 1860Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: rook to d8 (c8·2)Shuffle Rating 1860Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e7 (g7·2)Shuffle Rating 1860Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to g8 (g1·17)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: rook to d7 (d1·7)Shuffle Rating 1860Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to g5 (h6·3)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: rook to b7 (b5·4)Shuffle Rating 1860Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to f6 (e5·12)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: rook to d7 (d1·8)Shuffle Rating 1860Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (a7·2)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a7 (a1·2)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d3 (g3)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g3 (f3)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: bishop to e4 (c2·6)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: knight to a4Shuffle Rating 1970Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: queen to g7Shuffle Rating 1973Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to d5 (f7·3)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: discovered attack on f5Shuffle Rating 1893Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Fork: bishop to d4 (e5·4)Shuffle Rating 1974Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Fork: bishop to d6 (b4)Shuffle Rating 1894Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to e7 (d6·3)Shuffle Rating 1894Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Fork: queen to b5Shuffle Rating 1975Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to e6 (e3·12)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: queen to b6 (e3·2)Shuffle Rating 1860Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d5 (h1·6)Shuffle Rating 2120Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Mate in 3: rook to g6 (h6·3)Shuffle Rating 2147Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Pin: queen to d7 (e6)Shuffle Rating 2205Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 3: queen to h6 (c1·2)Shuffle Rating 1820Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Mate in 3: queen to e6 (h3)Shuffle Rating 1860Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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