Day 249: Mate in 2
Target rating: 920
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 g2 (f1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to h5 (g3·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d4 (g1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c6 (b7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e4 (b1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d4 (e2·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f4 (c1·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d4 (c3·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h4 (h1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f5 (f1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: bishop to g2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: rook to g2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: discovered attack on e2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to h7 (d3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: pawn to g4 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to d4 (a1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to f7 (e8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: pawn to c4 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d7 (c5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: pawn to c5 (b4·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f2 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: knight to e2 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d7 (c6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b4 (a3·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: knight to f4 (h5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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