Day 394: Corner mate
Target rating: 1112
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: pawn to f6 (e5·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f3 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to h1 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e7 (f5·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (d4·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to d6 (b5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: pawn to b4 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to g5 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to f5 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 1: rook to h2 (h8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: king to g3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to b6 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: rook to d6 (c6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: queen to f6 (b2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c4 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to e1 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g3 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b5 (d4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: king to f3 (g2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c3 (c2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: bishop to a5 (d2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to c2 (c1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e8 (e1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: bishop to a4 (c2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 395 →