Day 152: Mate in 2
Target rating: 793
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: bishop to h5 (d1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to c2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to e6 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c8 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b6 (g1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (c4·42)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e6 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c5 (b3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g8 (h7·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h3 (g2·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to h8 (h7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: deflection on b4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: rook to g7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: rook to c8 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: queen to f7 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e5 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g5 (f4·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h5 (g4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e3 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b3 (a2·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (g4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to g6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a4 (c5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a6 (f1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a7 (g1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 153 →