Day 136: Mate in 2
Target rating: 784
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. Winning blow: rook to c4 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h8 (g7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d4 (a1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b7 (h1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f4 (c1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (d4·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c3 (b2·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·97)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h5 (g4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (f4·75)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: rook to c8 (c7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to b1 (e4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: rook to d4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: bishop to c3 (d4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: queen to g6 (d3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: queen to g7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: pawn to f4 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (c4·96)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a8 (h1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: pawn to d6 (e5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to e1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e4 (g3·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to a7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·98)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: pawn to e4 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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