Day 499: Smothered mate
Target rating: 1240
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. Winning blow: knight to c5 (d3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d7 (e6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g6 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to g8 (d5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h4 (h3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to h6 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to g4 (g5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to g4 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c5 (d3·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to g5 (c1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (h1·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to g7 (a1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d7 (c6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to c8 (a6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (h1·22)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d2 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to h6 (h4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 1: queen to f7 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to b5 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to a8 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to h3 (h4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to g7 (g4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: rook to a6 (a2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Fork: queen to f2 (f7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c5 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 500 →