Day 520: Mate defense
Target rating: 1270
Lesson of the day
Mate defense: your opponent is one move from mating you — but it is your turn, and that changes everything. Find the defense that kills the mating threat while keeping your advantage: often a check or a counter-threat that leaves no time for the mate. First name the exact square where the mate would land — otherwise you are defending blind. The mistake is playing a "defensive" move that does not actually remove the threat.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d4 (c2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to g3 (g8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: pawn to c7 (c6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to c5 (f5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b6 (a7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: pawn to e6 (d5·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d4 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c4 (d2·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to g7 (g6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to e1 (d1·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f6 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: bishop to f3 (h5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: rook to g6 (g1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to a6 (a5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: queen to b8 (b1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: rook to d1 (d8·5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to b1 (c1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to f1 (b5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to c6 (f3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a7 (a3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (f3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a2 (b1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: pawn to c6 (c5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to d6 (c5·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Skewer: queen to e3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 521 →