Day 584: Corner mate
Target rating: 1356
Lesson of the day
The corner mate catches a king driven into the corner, where it has only three neighboring squares — all of them taken away or blocked. The corner is the worst home for a king, because the attacker needs to control the fewest squares there. Herd the king toward the corner with checks and never let it slip back toward the center. Cut off the escape routes before the final check, and the mate practically assembles itself.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to f3 (a3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to c3 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to c3 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to a8 (h1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to e3 (d1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to f2 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to e8 (e2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e6 (f5·24)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: knight to f6 (e4·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to d6 (c7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: rook to h3 (f3·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to h3 (g3·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to h6 (g5·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to c2 (c7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: fork on e5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Rescue the king to b3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: knight to h6 (f5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to d6 (a3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to b6 (g1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to h6 (h4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c7 (a7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: knight to f6 (e4·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Pin: bishop to b5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: rook to c8 (c2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: rook to e8 (e7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 585 →