Day 354: Corner mate
Target rating: 1052
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: bishop to e4 (b1·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: king to f1 (g1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b1 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to d1 (a1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to e1 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a2 (c1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to b5 (c3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: king to c1 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to f3 (f2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f3 (e2·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: rook to f3 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: knight to h6 (g4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to a6 (b5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: knight to e7 (g6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: queen to f2 (h4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: knight to h6 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: rook to h1 (g1)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to h4 (g5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a8 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Fork: rook to f5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: deflection on g4 (g2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c4 (c3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Fork: knight to d2 (e4·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: rook to h3 (h8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d7 (e5·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 355 →