Day 678: Corner mate
Target rating: 1475
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. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f8 (f1·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to c5 (b6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to a7 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to b4 (c3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to e7 (f8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to g6 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to c8 (d7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to g7 (g1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d6 (d3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: pawn to b3 (b2·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: rook to d8 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: queen to e7 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: queen to a5 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to d8 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: pawn to f7 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: knight to f7 (h6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: knight to d6 (e4·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c4 (b3·44)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (d4·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to a8 (a5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to e7 (d6·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (h1·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to d8 (a5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: knight to f4 (e2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to b7 (c7·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 679 →