Day 633: Corner mate
Target rating: 1419
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: knight to b8 (d7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: bishop to f3 (h1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to e2 (e1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to e3 (e1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to f6 (f1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: bishop to d1 (c2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: bishop to f2 (a7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to d7 (d2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: knight to c6 (e5·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to d1 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: knight to g6 (h4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 1: queen to f8 (h6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to f1 (d3·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to f7 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: pawn to c3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g6 (d3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c7 (g3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: king to g1 (h1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to c7 (c6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: pawn to f4 (f3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to c8 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g6 (e5·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: bishop to a5 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to d6 (b4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 634 →