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Day 939: 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: queen to d7 (e8)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: rook to h8 (h5·2)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: rook to f7 (e7·4)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: queen to e4 (d4)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: rook to h5 (h3)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: queen to c8 (b7·3)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: bishop to f7 (b3)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: queen to e6 (d7·5)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: rook to e8 (e7·6)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: rook to a5 (a3)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: rook to a5 (a1·2)Shuffle Rating 2150Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d6 (d3·5)Shuffle Rating 2170Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: pawn to d6 (d5·4)Shuffle Rating 2170Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to c6 (d5)Shuffle Rating 2170Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d6·6)Shuffle Rating 2240Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: queen to b7 (d5)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to c5 (c3·2)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: king to f3 (f2·2)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: pawn to d6 (d5·14)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: knight to f5 (e3·5)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: king to b1 (c1·43)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d6 (d5·2)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: knight to e6 (d4·3)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: king to g2 (h2·4)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: pawn to d6 (d5·15)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 2: rook to e1 (e8·8)Shuffle Rating 2177Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
27. Rescue the pawn to e2Shuffle Rating 2268Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: knight to a6 (c5·7)Shuffle Rating 2290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: knight to f7 (d8·2)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Mate in 2: bishop to g4 (h3·2)Shuffle Rating 2044Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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