Day 282: Corner mate
Target rating: 969
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. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d4 (e2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6 (b4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h4 (g3·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h8 (c3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d4 (f2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e4 (c3·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to a4 (b3·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f5 (e3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: bishop to f6 (a1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a2 (a1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to h5 (g6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: knight to g3 (e2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: knight to g3 (h5·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 1: rook to h4 (d4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: bishop to c3 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to d5 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to f8 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to c3 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to e8 (f8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f2 (h3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: bishop to b2 (a3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: bishop to f6 (b2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: king to b2 (c1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: knight to f5 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to d7 (f5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 283 →