Removing the defender exercises

Capture or chase the piece that was holding a key square together. Play the winning move on the board below. Each position is verified: the solution is the strongest move, and the write-up tells you exactly what it wins. Read the full removing the defender guide first if the pattern is new to you.

Solved 0 of 3 · first-try accuracy 0%

1. Exercise 1: White to play: win material.

   Position (FEN): r5q1/3k1P1P/8/8/8/1Q6/4K3/8 w - - 0 1

   8

   7

   6

   5

   4

   3

   2

   1a

   b

   c

   d

   e

   f

   g

   h

   White to play: win material.

   easy · wins ~17 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   hxg8=Q — hxg8=Q wins about 17 pawns of material by force: the pawn hits a8 and Black cannot cover everything. The next best try, fxg8=R, leaves the position roughly level.

2. Exercise 2: White to play: win material.

   Position (FEN): 8/k7/8/r4n2/Q7/K7/7P/6B1 w - - 0 1

   8

   7

   6

   5

   4

   3

   2

   1a

   b

   c

   d

   e

   f

   g

   h

   White to play: win material.

   easy · wins ~8 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   Qxa5+ — Qxa5+ wins about 8 pawns of material by force: the queen hits f5, a7 and Black cannot cover everything. The next best try, Kb4+, leaves the position roughly level.

3. Exercise 3: White to play: win material.

   Position (FEN): 6k1/3n1p1p/5b2/1B6/8/8/5PPP/5RK1 w - - 0 1

   8

   7

   6

   5

   4

   3

   2

   1a

   b

   c

   d

   e

   f

   g

   h

   White to play: win material.

   medium · wins ~3 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   Bxd7 — Bxd7 removes the only defender of f6. The knight cannot be recaptured, so after it disappears Rxf6 follows and White is a full piece up.