Day 726: Mate in 2
Target rating: 1558
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. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e7·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c8 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to f6 (h6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to b7 (b1·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to e6 (e2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to d6 (d5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (d5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to b5 (d5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: knight to b6 (d5·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to g8 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: pawn to g6 (g5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: knight to d6 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: bishop to f3 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to d5 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: rook to b2 (a2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e8 (f8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: rook to d8 (d1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to e6 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a5 (c3·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: king to b2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: pawn to g5 (g4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: pawn to h7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d8 (d4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: queen to d8 (a5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Win the hanging king on d6 (c7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 727 →