Day 489: Mate in 1
Target rating: 1236
Lesson of the day
Mate in one: the combination is over, only the final precise shot remains. The method is simple — list every check you have and test the three escapes against each: king moves, blocks, and capturing the checker. If none of them works, it is mate. The classic blunder is falling in love with the first check you see and missing the one escape hatch.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: knight to f5 (g3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to b4 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to b8 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to e3 (e1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (f4·92)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: king to d1 (e1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g6 (f4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: king to c2 (c1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to f3 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to f1 (g1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 1: rook to e1 (d1)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Back-rank mate in 1 on e1 (d2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: knight to c2 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 1: queen to e8 (g6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: queen to f4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d6 (f4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a6 (d3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to d4 (d1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e8 (b8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to e3 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to d4 (a1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a6 (c6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to d2 (d1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: knight to f7 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: bishop to d3 (h7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 490 →