Day 4: Mate in 1
Target rating: 604
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. Mate in 1: queen to h7 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 1: rook to h8Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
3. Back-rank mate in 2 on e8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 2: rook to c1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e7 (f5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 1: queen to f5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 1: queen to g6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 2: queen to h2 (h4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 1: rook to f1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 1: queen to h2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 1: rook to h1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: queen to b7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 1: queen to h7 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: queen to g7 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Back-rank mate in 2 on d1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f7 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to e1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 1: queen to g2 (c6·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 1: rook to h2 (f2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to a8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b7 (a5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
26. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c4 (a4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g7 (h6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 5 →