Day 27 · Week 04 · Advanced Motifs & Calculation Hygiene
Month 1 Mixed Exam Prep
Prepare for the Month 1 exam with mixed, unlabeled positions and performance targets.
Exam prep should not teach new motifs. It should recreate uncertainty. Every position begins with the same question: what does the position demand? Some contain tactics, some defense, some no immediate tactic.
The session is divided into blocks so the student can see whether accuracy drops with fatigue.
Training flow: 1. Block A: 8 untimed diagnostic positions. 2. Block B: 8 timed positions. 3. Short review break. 4. Block C: 8 mixed positions, no hints. 5. Performance summary and targeted correction.
Common errors: Motif hunting. Fatigue-based speed-up. Repeating same error after feedback. Ignoring no-tactic controls.
Mastery gate: Prep target: 19/24 overall and at least 75% in every major family.
Review: Repeat only the weakest two categories before the final exam.
Duration: 75–100 min
Take the one loose piece.
LESSON · difficulty 4 · loose piece/recognition · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
Rxa6 captures the knight on a6. It is the only loose minor or major piece on the board.
The loose piece is poisoned. Find the move that refuses it.
THINK · difficulty 4 · loose piece/poison · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
Find the knight check that also attacks the queen.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · fork/knight-queen · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
Find the knight check that also attacks the rook.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · fork/knight-rook · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
Find the pawn fork.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · fork/pawn · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
The knight is pinned to the king. Take it.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · capture/pin · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
Find the skewer.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · skewer/check · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
Which move discovers check from the rook?
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · check/discovered · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
Find the checkmate.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · check/mate · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
Find the move that forces mate in two.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · mixed/calculation · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
Use the open file against the king.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · king safety/open file · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
Use the diagonal against the king.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · king safety/diagonal · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
Your loose piece is attacked. Save it.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · loose piece/save · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
There is no winning tactic. Find the quiet move that holds.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · quiet move/no tactic · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
You are in check. Find the move that keeps the most material.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · defense/check · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
Which check comes first?
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · calculation/priority · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
A check wins the loose piece. The immediate capture does not.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · loose piece/zwischenzug · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
Promote to the strongest piece.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · promotion/queen · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
The king has no pawn shield. Find the check.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · king safety/exposed · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
Two pieces are loose. Take only the one you can keep.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · loose piece/choice · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
The knight is pinned to the king. Take it.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · capture/pin · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
Find the checkmate.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · check/mate · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
There is no winning tactic. Find the quiet move that holds.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · quiet move/no tactic · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0
You are in check. Find the move that keeps the most material.
PUZZLE · difficulty 4 · defense/check · 0s · attempts 0 · hints 0