Day 523: Smothered mate
Target rating: 1275
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. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e7 (h4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b7 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to c8 (a8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to b7 (h1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to e7 (d5·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b7 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to h8 (h5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g5 (h4·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6 (d4·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f8 (h6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e7 (b4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (h1·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (a1·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (h1·24)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: queen to g7 (a1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (e4·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e8 (h8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to a2 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (e4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: king to c1 (c2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to c7 (b7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: queen to h7 (h5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: pawn to c5 (b4·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to h4 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to d6 (d5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 524 →