Day 186: Mate in 2
Target rating: 848
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 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e7 (b4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g5 (f3·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b2 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to g6 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (g6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f3 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h4 (e1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to f1 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f3 (e2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to b1 (f5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: deflection on g4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: knight to h6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to h7 (c2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: rook to e1 (e4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 1: queen to d1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: pawn to g6 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to f7 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 1: rook to h5 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to g4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to b5 (a4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: king to f2 (g1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: bishop to b6 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: knight to e4 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to c3 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 187 →