Day 101: Mate in 2
Target rating: 728
Lesson of the day
Mate in two: your move, any reply, then the mating blow. Start with the most forcing first moves — checks and sacrifices that shrink the opponent's options to almost nothing. Against every single reply you must have a mate ready, so check them all without exception. The common failure is analyzing the pretty defense and forgetting the boring one.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h4 (f2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b4 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b8 (g3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: king to b2 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: king to a2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g7 (h6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (f4·39)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to f5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g6 (f5·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a8 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: knight to f6 (e4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to c7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: rook to f1 (f8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: rook to c1 (c2·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: rook to c8 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c4 (f1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d6 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (d3·27)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c5 (d4·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: bishop to b8 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d1 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g7 (a1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g6 (h5·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f7 (g5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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