Day 423: Corner mate
Target rating: 1147
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: queen to g7 (h7·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (a8·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to c6 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to f3 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to e3 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d1 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f7 (f2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: king to b2 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (a8·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: rook to h6 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to g6 (h5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (e6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (e3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: queen to h7 (h4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d1 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to d7 (h7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (d4·22)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to h8 (h7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e5 (a1·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g4 (h3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (f3·37)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to c8 (c1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to f6 (b2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 424 →