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Day 914: 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. Winning blow: queen to h2 (c7)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: pawn to g5 (h4·13)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: pawn to d7 (c6·12)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to d3 (e2·7)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to f7 (g8·5)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to e8 (h8·4)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: bishop to d6 (a3·3)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to d3 (d1·6)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to e6 (e5·14)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to f2 (e1·19)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: bishop to h6 (c1·2)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: pawn to g6 (g5·8)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e1·29)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to a1 (b1·2)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to g7 (g4·5)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: queen to f3 (d5)Shuffle Rating 1960Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: double attack on f1Shuffle Rating 1965Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to e5 (a1)Shuffle Rating 1975Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: bishop to h6 (e3·2)Shuffle Rating 1980Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g6 (b1·7)Shuffle Rating 1980Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: queen to g5 (c1·3)Shuffle Rating 1980Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to f7 (e8·2)Shuffle Rating 1980Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d8 (d1·3)Shuffle Rating 1980Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: bishop to d6 (b8)Shuffle Rating 1980Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: queen to b6 (d4·4)Shuffle Rating 1980Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 2: rook to a1 (a2·4)Shuffle Rating 2015Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
27. Chess960 tactic on g5 (f7)Shuffle Rating 2120Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Chess960 tactic on e6 (d4)Shuffle Rating 2250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 3: rook to a2 (b2)Shuffle Rating 1962Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
30. Chess960 tactic on g5Shuffle Rating 2120Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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