Day 471: Smothered mate
Target rating: 1208
Lesson of the day
The smothered mate suffocates a king buried under its own army: every neighboring square is blocked by friendly pieces, and the knight — needing no open lines — delivers the blow. The classic mechanism: knight check, king hides in the corner, a queen sacrifice forces a rook to plug the last hole, and the knight mates. Look for a cornered king surrounded by its own pieces and a knight one hop away. Do not mourn the queen — she only opens the door.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g2 (e1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to d4 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to c7 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to h6 (h2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to c8 (b8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to a8 (a1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to g8 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to a7 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to e7 (d6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to d6 (d2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (c3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (a1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (h1·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d7 (d3·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e7 (b4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f3 (f2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: king to b1 (a1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: bishop to c7 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to h6 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Skewer: rook to d3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to h3 (g3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: king to b1 (c1·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (d4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Discovered attack: bishop to h7 (d3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Pin: rook to c4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 472 →