Day 495: Back-rank mate
Target rating: 1240
Lesson of the day
The back-rank mate strikes a king locked behind its own unmoved pawns when a rook or queen crashes onto the last rank. The signs: no escape hole in front of the king, and the back rank guarded by a single piece or by nobody at all. Often that lone guard is deflected or traded off first, and only then comes the invasion. In your own games, make luft in time — one pawn move prevents a sudden catastrophe.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c8 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to f4 (d3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to c5 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: pawn to d7 (c6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to f6 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f6 (d5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to g6 (g1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: bishop to c4 (d5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: bishop to a5 (d2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to d8 (d7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to d7 (d1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to c8 (c3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (d4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f8 (f2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Trap the pawn on b4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g5 (g4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e2 (e1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f5 (d4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to d1 (e1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to c2 (g2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: rook to d1 (b1)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to b8 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to c5 (c1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to f3 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 496 →