Day 718: Queen endgame
Target rating: 1538
Lesson of the day
Queen endgames are treacherous: the queen reaches everywhere, and one slip turns a win into perpetual check. The signs are few pawns, exposed kings, and checks hanging in the air. Tuck your king away early, and use your own checks to bring the queen closer or push your passer with tempo. The typical mistake is grabbing pawns while leaving your king exposed to endless checks.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: knight to e4 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to b7 (e4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to a7 (a6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c6 (e4·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to c6 (b6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to d7 (e7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to g8 (g6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to c6 (c3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to c6 (a8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: knight to b6 (a4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Fork: queen to d1 (d2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: rook to b8 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (c6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Fork: queen to d4 (d8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to g4 (h4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: bishop to b5 (d7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: rook to f3 (d3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to b3 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to a5 (a1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to g4 (g1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to g3 (d3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to b2 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to b1 (c1·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to e6 (e7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to c3 (b3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 719 →