Day 366: Mate in 2
Target rating: 1072
Lesson of the day
Mate in two: your move, any reply, then the mating blow. Start with the most forcing first moves — checks and sacrifices that shrink the opponent's options to almost nothing. Against every single reply you must have a mate ready, so check them all without exception. The common failure is analyzing the pretty defense and forgetting the boring one.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: king to g2 (f1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to f5 (f1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to g3 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to h3 (g2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: king to c4 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: pawn to g6 (g5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to c3 (b3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (a8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to c4 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to a4 (c6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g8 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to g6 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to h6 (g7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to a1 (a8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: knight to f3 (g5·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to e6 (e3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Skewer: rook to h8 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to c6 (c3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Skewer: rook to h3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h8 (a1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: bishop to f2 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to a3 (a2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d7 (a4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to f3 (d1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to d5 (d3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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