Day 256: Corner mate
Target rating: 928
Lesson of the day
The corner mate catches a king driven into the corner, where it has only three neighboring squares — all of them taken away or blocked. The corner is the worst home for a king, because the attacker needs to control the fewest squares there. Herd the king toward the corner with checks and never let it slip back toward the center. Cut off the escape routes before the final check, and the mate practically assembles itself.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: pawn to e4 (f3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to d1 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to a1 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to b1 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: bishop to h8 (d4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h5 (e2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (e3·31)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a8 (h1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b5 (e2·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h4 (h2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to c6 (a6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to c7 (c6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: bishop to f4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: rook to e8 (e6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: queen to g6 (h5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to c6 (c2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: knight to d6 (c8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Fork: rook to d8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Fork: knight to h3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Fork: queen to e4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: knight to g5 (e4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Fork: queen to c5 (d6)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c7 (e5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Pin: knight to f3 (g5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 257 →