Day 559: Mate defense
Target rating: 1316
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 e6 (d4·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to f6 (e8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to c6 (b4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f6 (e4·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (e4·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to e5 (d3·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to g8 (g2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6 (b4·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Fork: queen to e8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to g1 (f1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: queen to c3 (g3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c1 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: king to h2 (g1·36)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to e6 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: king to b2 (c1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: bishop to b5 (c6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to d8 (a8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to c6 (c3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (f2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to g7 (h7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (a1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Castling-960 to the rescue on a1 (d1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 560 →