Day 290: Mate in 1
Target rating: 982
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. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a1 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d4 (f2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: king to f1 (g1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b6 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c6 (b5·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e4 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (f3·24)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g6 (b1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e2 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f3 (g2·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 1: queen to e2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 1: queen to g2 (b7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: queen to g3 (b8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 1: rook to e8 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: queen to g2 (g6·7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (f4·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: bishop to g4 (e2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e3 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g4 (e3·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h6 (c1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to e3 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to c4 (f7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d1 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to a8 (a4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (f4·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 291 →