Day 516: Mate in 1
Target rating: 1264
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 c5 (d3·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to c4 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to c8 (c1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: pawn to f6 (e5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to f5 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to d5 (e3·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g8 (g6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c3 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to f8 (f2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a8 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 1: queen to g7 (g4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 1: rook to f8 (f1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: rook to g8 (d8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 1: queen to c5 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: rook to f1 (h1)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Pin: bishop to c2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Castling-960 to the rescue on a1 (e1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Castling-960 to the rescue on g1 (f1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Castling-960 to the rescue on h1 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Castling-960 to the rescue on b1 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Castling-960 to the rescue on f1 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Castling-960 to the rescue on a8 (b8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Castling-960 to the rescue on h1 (f1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Fork: knight to d3 (e5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 517 →