Day 623: Mate in 2
Target rating: 1253
Lesson of the day
Mate in two: your move, any reply, then the mating blow. Start with the most forcing first moves — checks and sacrifices that shrink the opponent's options to almost nothing. Against every single reply you must have a mate ready, so check them all without exception. The common failure is analyzing the pretty defense and forgetting the boring one.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to a6 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b2 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to d7 (g4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to h8 (h5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to f7 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to g7 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to f6 (f1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c3 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to g8 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to f8 (c8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d7 (f7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to h8 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to f7 (h5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: queen to g8 (a8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e8 (e3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to e6 (g4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to a5 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to a8 (a2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to b8 (b4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e4 (d3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: queen to d7 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to b8 (b1·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to d8 (d7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: knight to f6 (h5·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 624 →