Day 508: Corner mate
Target rating: 1251
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. Attack on the uncastled king: king to b1 (a2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: king to c2 (b1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: king to b2 (c2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: king to d1 (e1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: king to e2 (f1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g3 (g2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to f5 (f1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: king to c3 (d2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c8 (c1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: rook to a6 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to h4 (h5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (d8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: knight to g3 (f5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: fork on e2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: bishop to g7 (a1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: king to a2 (b1·30)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f4 (c1·30)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: king to h2 (g1·35)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to h6 (f8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c8 (c1·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to b3 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: bishop to h4 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f3 (d1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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