Day 384: Back-rank mate
Target rating: 1100
Lesson of the day
The back-rank mate strikes a king locked behind its own unmoved pawns when a rook or queen crashes onto the last rank. The signs: no escape hole in front of the king, and the back rank guarded by a single piece or by nobody at all. Often that lone guard is deflected or traded off first, and only then comes the invasion. In your own games, make luft in time — one pawn move prevents a sudden catastrophe.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to d4 (d3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to d6 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to f5 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d7 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to f7 (e5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to f7 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to e5 (f3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e8 (e1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d1 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to d5 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: fork on e8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: queen to d7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Back-rank mate in 3 on f2 (f5·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d7 (c5·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: knight to e7 (g6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: queen to d4 (d6)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: queen to h2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: queen to c8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Fork: rook to e1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to f2 (b6·4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to a1 (d4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: queen to g5 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g1 (h1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to h8 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h3 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 385 →