Day 143: Mate in 2
Target rating: 792
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: pawn to b6 (c5·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (f4·82)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g8 (h7·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e8 (e1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d4 (a1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b4 (a3·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g6 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (f3·29)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e4 (g3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c6 (b5·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: rook to h3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: rook to b1 (b2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to f7 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: rook to d1 (d8·4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: rook to f8 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e5 (a1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (d4·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e4 (h1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: knight to d5 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (e4·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g4 (g1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: knight to h5 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c1 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: bishop to b8 (c7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 144 →