Day 670: Mate in 2
Target rating: 1462
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. Mate in 2: queen to b6 (e3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 2: rook to b7 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f7 (f4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 2: queen to f7 (f4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to e1 (f1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 2: knight to e6 (d4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to d6 (d7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 2: knight to d5 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to d6 (d7·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 2: bishop to g5 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to a6 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: rook to e1 (e2·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: pin on h6 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: rook to a8 (a7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: knight to h6 (f7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Deflection: rook to e6 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Trap the rook on h8Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to g8 (b3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to g7 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e8 (b8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: knight to f4 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: rook to h7 (h3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to c6 (b7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: rook to e8 (e6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: rook to f5 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 671 →