Day 549: Smothered mate
Target rating: 1304
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: bishop to h4 (f2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: pawn to f4 (g3·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: bishop to f6 (a1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to d5 (f4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to e4 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to b5 (b1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to d5 (b4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to b8 (d6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to b6 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c6 (f3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to g7 (a1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (a1·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (a1·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (c3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e7 (a3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: pawn to b5 (a4·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: king to e3 (f2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to e5 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (g7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to f5 (e3·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to f3 (g2·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b8 (b5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to a7 (a2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: rook to d8 (d1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to b6 (b5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 550 →