Day 18: Mate in 1
Target rating: 627
Lesson of the day
Mate in one: the combination is over, only the final precise shot remains. The method is simple — list every check you have and test the three escapes against each: king moves, blocks, and capturing the checker. If none of them works, it is mate. The classic blunder is falling in love with the first check you see and missing the one escape hatch.
Warm-up
1. Mate in 1: queen to f7 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 2: queen to c1 (f4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 2: fork on d1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
4. Back-rank mate in 3 on f2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 1: knight to f7 (h6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d8 (b6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b7 (a6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a7 (c6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g6 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 1: queen to e1 (e5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 1: queen to a8 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: queen to g7 (h8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 1: queen to f3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: queen to g7 (d4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: bishop to b8 (h2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: double attack on g3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to d4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f6 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (g5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g8 (h7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g7 (h6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: knight to a8 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d6 (c5·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e5 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 19 →