Day 317: Mate in 1
Target rating: 1009
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: pawn to e5 (f4·78)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to a6 (b5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f3 (h2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (e4·55)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·99)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b5 (a4·27)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h7 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e4 (b1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e8 (b5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 1: queen to g2 (g4·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 1: knight to f2 (h3·8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: queen to g7 (a1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 1: queen to f7 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: queen to h1 (e1)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: queen to b6 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: rook to f8 (f1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: rook to h4 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: bishop to h5 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c8 (c5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b8 (b2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e6 (g6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: pawn to g8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: rook to c7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: king to f2 (e1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 318 →