Daily puzzle

#18 · June 27, 2026
David Howell
David Howell

Blunder alert! White has just pushed his pawn to d6. It looks like this passed pawn is unstoppable, but a miscalculation has been made. How can we stop the pawn and turn the tables?

Played 2026, in World Rapid Team Championship • Makhnev vs Yu • Hong Kong
Solution

Kxg6 d7 Ng5 d8=Q Nf7+ Kf4 Nxd8

Good job! Knights are tricky pieces, and backward knight moves are notoriously difficult to spot. Forks decide so many games. Having blundered his rook, White felt obliged to resign.