Day 485: Pawn mate
Target rating: 1230
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: queen to f7 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to g4 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to d6 (f8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to d8 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to d5 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to f7 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to a8 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to h8 (h7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to g6 (e6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to d4 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (e6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: bishop to e2 (b5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f7 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: queen to e7 (e5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: pawn to c6 (b5·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c4 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e4 (f2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to g6 (e4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: king to d2 (e1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to g5 (g4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to a4 (a3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: bishop to d6 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: knight to d5 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to d6 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 486 →