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Chess960 puzzles: Breakthrough

A pawn sacrifice tears the chain open and lets a passer through.

A breakthrough is a pawn sacrifice that rips the opponent's chain open and creates an unstoppable passer. Look for it where the pawns are locked against each other: often two pawns are given up so the third one slips through. Check the square rule — can the enemy king catch the new passer? If not, sacrifice with confidence; the classic error is breaking through while his king stands right there eating everything.

38 puzzles

Fork: pawn to f5
Shuffle Rating 918
Winning blow: pawn to f7 (f6·2)
Shuffle Rating 970
Winning blow: pawn to g3 (g2·3)
Shuffle Rating 970
Winning blow: pawn to b3 (b2·4)
Shuffle Rating 970
Winning blow: pawn to h7 (g6·3)
Shuffle Rating 1060
Winning blow: pawn to d5 (c4·10)
Shuffle Rating 1060
Winning blow: pawn to e7 (e6·4)
Shuffle Rating 1060
Fork: pawn to f5 (f6)
Shuffle Rating 1107
Winning blow: pawn to f6 (f5·3)
Shuffle Rating 1110
Winning blow: pawn to e5 (e4·3)
Shuffle Rating 1110
Mate in 2: deflection on g4 (g2)
Shuffle Rating 1129
Winning blow: bishop to c7 (a5·2)
Shuffle Rating 1200
Mate in 2: pawn to a4
Shuffle Rating 1220
Mate in 2: pawn to d5
Shuffle Rating 1220
Mate in 3: pawn to c7
Shuffle Rating 1241
Winning blow: pawn to g5 (g4·3)
Shuffle Rating 1250
Winning blow: pawn to d7 (d6·7)
Shuffle Rating 1250
Winning blow: pawn to e7 (e6·14)
Shuffle Rating 1280
Winning blow: pawn to f8 (f7·2)
Shuffle Rating 1280
Winning blow: pawn to f4 (f2·2)
Shuffle Rating 1390
Skewer: pawn to g4
Shuffle Rating 1451
Mate in 2: pawn to h4 (h3)
Shuffle Rating 1498
Discovered attack: pawn to f4
Shuffle Rating 1607
Winning blow: pawn to a3 (a2·2)
Shuffle Rating 1610
12

Endgame