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Day 942: 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 c6 (e8·6)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to g8 (h8·3)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to e6 (e2·10)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to d7 (a7·2)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to b6 (b5·8)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to h7 (g7·8)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to f7 (e8·5)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to e7 (e3·8)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to f6 (h8·9)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to c6 (a8·4)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 3: pin on e1Shuffle Rating 2025Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 1: pin on g5Shuffle Rating 2058Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: queen to h1Shuffle Rating 2061Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: rook to f8 (f1·9)Shuffle Rating 2062Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: rook to g6 (f6)Shuffle Rating 2066Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Discovered attack: knight to d6Shuffle Rating 2107Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Discovered attack: knight to f6 (e4·5)Shuffle Rating 2110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: queen to f6 (d4)Shuffle Rating 2111Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: bishop to d6 (g3·4)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to e8 (d7·2)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to b6 (e3·3)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to e8 (h8·5)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d7·8)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to e5 (b5·2)Shuffle Rating 2100Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: pin on h8Shuffle Rating 2032Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: pawn to f8 (f7·12)Shuffle Rating 2120Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Discovered attack: knight to d4 (c6)Shuffle Rating 2247Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
28. Rescue the pawn to g5Shuffle Rating 2313Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: knight to d6 (b5·20)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Chess960 tactic on h8Shuffle Rating 2120Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 943 →