Day 638: Pawn mate
Target rating: 1427
Lesson of the day
The pawn mate lets the humblest soldier land the final blow. It happens to a king stuck among its own and enemy pieces: the pawn strikes diagonally from one square away and there is nowhere left to run. The sign: the squares around the king are covered or occupied, and your pawn stands one step from striking distance. Never write pawns out of your attack — their blows are the cheapest and therefore the most humiliating.
Warm-up
1. Mate in 2: bishop to b6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e8 (c8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 2: queen to h8 (h2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 2: queen to a5 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 2: queen to f8 (f7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (f7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 2: queen to d8 (d3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 2: queen to e7 (g5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 2: queen to d6 (h6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e8 (e6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: queen to f7 (g8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: knight to f5 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e5 (f4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: knight to e5 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: queen to e6 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: rook to b5 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to a7 (a5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e7 (e1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: rook to g7 (f7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to c8 (c5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b6 (d4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: bishop to h5 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to e6 (g8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: knight to e7 (g6·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Fork: rook to e2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 639 →