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Day 917: 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. Winning blow: queen to c7 (e5·3)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (a8·3)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to d8 (f6·3)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to h8 (h1·12)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to e3 (e1·14)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to d7 (c5·21)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to h6 (h4·3)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to g6 (h5·8)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to d8 (e7·7)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to d8 (c8·2)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Win the hanging rook on d1Shuffle Rating 1938Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Deflection: rook to b6Shuffle Rating 1950Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Fork: bishop to b3Shuffle Rating 1971Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: bishop to f7 (c4·3)Shuffle Rating 1982Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Win the hanging queen on a8 (d5)Shuffle Rating 1985Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: bishop to b6 (d4·5)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (e4·23)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e1·26)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to f5 (h3·4)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to g7 (h7·9)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: bishop to h4 (g3·3)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to b6 (g1·6)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to b7 (b8·5)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to f5 (f1·13)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (f3·4)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Fork: rook to d4 (d5)Shuffle Rating 2020Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Winning blow: queen to g7 (g3·2)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: rook to b7 (b1·15)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: queen to g6 (g3·10)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: pawn to f6 (g5·19)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 918 →