Day 708: Discovered mate
Target rating: 1513
Lesson of the day
In a discovered mate the piece that moves is not the one that mates — the long-range piece behind it delivers the blow. The moving piece is completely free: it can land anywhere, ideally stealing the king's last squares or guarding key points. Look for your rook, bishop or queen lined up with the enemy king, with exactly one of your own pieces in between. When choosing the unveiling move, remember its second job — shutting the king's escape door.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: rook to e1 (e4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d2 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to f2 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to d1 (c2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to c3 (b1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d2 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to e4 (h4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to d1 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to f5 (f3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to d1 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: queen to b3 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d7 (d6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: queen to g2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: bishop to e4 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b5 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 1: queen to g4 (g8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: bishop to a6 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: fork on g2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: fork on e1 (c3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: knight to g5 (f3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to d8 (a5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: knight to e6 (c7·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to g2 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to f7 (e6·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to b6 (a7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 709 →