Day 484: Corner mate
Target rating: 1228
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. Winning blow: bishop to c4 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to c3 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to f7 (g7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to c6 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to f8 (a8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: bishop to a5 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to h2 (h6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to h7 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to g6 (h6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to e7 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to b6 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: rook to a6 (c6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to g6 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to g8 (g6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: rook to f7 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Discovered attack: rook to e1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Pin: knight to b3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: knight to b6 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 1: rook to c1 (c2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: bishop to a7 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (f4·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c5 (f2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 1: rook to h4 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: bishop to f3 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d7 (g4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 485 →