Day 610: Queen endgame
Target rating: 1382
Lesson of the day
Queen endgames are treacherous: the queen reaches everywhere, and one slip turns a win into perpetual check. The signs are few pawns, exposed kings, and checks hanging in the air. Tuck your king away early, and use your own checks to bring the queen closer or push your passer with tempo. The typical mistake is grabbing pawns while leaving your king exposed to endless checks.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to a4 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to f5 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: king to h2 (g1·38)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: bishop to f4 (c1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to f5 (b1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to c7 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to h5 (g5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (f4·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: knight to e4 (f2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Trap the queen on g7Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to b5 (b4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to f4 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to h8 (e8·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: knight to h4 (g6)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Pin: rook to h6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c8 (b7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: queen to d1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: rook to g4 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Deflection: pawn to b2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to e6 (c4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to c4 (e2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: knight to e5 (d3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: bishop to d3 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to e7 (e2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 611 →