X-ray attack exercises

A long-range piece acts through an enemy piece onto the square beyond it. 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 x-ray attack guide first if the pattern is new to you.

Solved 0 of 4 · first-try accuracy 0%

1. Exercise 1: White to play: force mate.

   Position (FEN): 1k1K4/ppp5/1Q1R4/7p/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1

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   White to play: force mate.

   easy · forced mate

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   Qxc7+ — Qxc7+ forces mate. Every black reply runs into the same net, so the game ends on the spot.

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

   Position (FEN): 7r/6pk/8/4n3/8/8/1B6/6K1 w - - 0 1

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   White to play: win material.

   easy · wins ~3 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   Bxe5 — Bxe5 wins a clean knight because the bishop x-rays straight through it to the rook on h8 — the knight was never really defended, it was only screening a bigger target.

3. Exercise 3: White to play: end the game.

   Position (FEN): 3r2k1/5ppp/8/8/8/8/5PPP/2QR2K1 w - - 0 1

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   White to play: end the game.

   easy · forced mate

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   Rxd8# — Rxd8# mates: the queen x-rays through its own rook down the d-file, so trading the rook off leaves the back rank collapsing with the queen still covering d8.

4. Exercise 4: White to play: win material.

   Position (FEN): 6k1/6r1/8/8/3b4/8/7K/Q7 w - - 0 1

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   White to play: win material.

   easy · wins ~3.2 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   Qxd4 — Qxd4 wins the bishop outright, and because the queen x-rayed through it the rook on g7 is hit the moment the bishop leaves the diagonal.