Day 303: Corner mate
Target rating: 987
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: queen to b2 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a1 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: king to e1 (d1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (d3·46)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c4 (b3·33)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a2 (a1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g7 (b2·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (d4·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b3 (a2·24)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to d4 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to e5 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: rook to a6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to h3 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to e1 (f2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: queen to h4 (h8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 1: queen to g7 (h6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: bishop to g5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to a6 (a4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to d4 (a7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to h6 (h4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to g2 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a5 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: pawn to d4 (e3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to e7 (e2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to h5 (h4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 304 →