Day 612: Corner mate
Target rating: 1385
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: pawn to f6 (e5·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (d4·109)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (h1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e3 (c1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: bishop to h3 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to d5 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to e6 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: knight to c3 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to e5 (a1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: bishop to h6 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: rook to d8 (d7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: knight to g6 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: pin on h6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: knight to g6 (h4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: knight to g6 (e7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: king to e3 (e2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to c3 (b3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: king to h1 (g1·36)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to d4 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to d4 (f5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to f4 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: king to f1 (g1·29)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: rook to a8 (a7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to g7 (a1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g5 (h4·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 613 →