Day 415: Pawn mate
Target rating: 1134
Lesson of the day
The pawn mate lets the humblest soldier land the final blow. It happens to a king stuck among its own and enemy pieces: the pawn strikes diagonally from one square away and there is nowhere left to run. The sign: the squares around the king are covered or occupied, and your pawn stands one step from striking distance. Never write pawns out of your attack — their blows are the cheapest and therefore the most humiliating.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: bishop to c2 (b3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: bishop to h7 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to d5 (a5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: king to f4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to e4 (e2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to a5 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to c6 (a5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: knight to e7 (c6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to d7 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: bishop to d3 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to g5 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to b6 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to c8 (c5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to b7 (a8·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: queen to b8 (b3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: rook to g3 (c3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: bishop to d4 (b2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: knight to e7 (d5·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to e7 (g5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to a8 (h1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f2 (d3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d1·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to g4 (h3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (e4·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 416 →