Day 709: Pawn mate
Target rating: 1516
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. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e3 (g1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g2 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to d1 (d2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to f1 (f7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to b8 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g2 (h1·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to g2 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to g2 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: rook to f2 (f1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to d4 (a4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: rook to g7 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: pawn to g5 (g4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: knight to e7 (c6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to c7 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: queen to c5 (d4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: bishop to e7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 1: queen to f4 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: deflection on h1 (h5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: rook to a2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: bishop to g2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: rook to h3 (g3·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: pawn to g2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: knight to f3 (h4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to a7 (b6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: double attack on h7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 710 →