Day 655: Corner mate
Target rating: 1438
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: bishop to d5 (e4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (h1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to e8 (e1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to c7 (c6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to d6 (d7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g2 (g1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to e5 (f7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (e3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: king to a1 (b1·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to d6 (c7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: queen to f5 (f8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: pawn to g7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: queen to e6 (c6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: king to b2 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: queen to f7 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: pawn to c6 (c5·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: knight to b5 (d4·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b3 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to c8 (c1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Fork: knight to a7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to d7 (d4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Fork: queen to b7 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to a3 (a2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Fork: rook to b6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to a8 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 656 →