Day 743: Mate in 1
Target rating: 1596
Lesson of the day
Mate in one: the combination is over, only the final precise shot remains. The method is simple — list every check you have and test the three escapes against each: king moves, blocks, and capturing the checker. If none of them works, it is mate. The classic blunder is falling in love with the first check you see and missing the one escape hatch.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to e6 (f6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to c6 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to a6 (e2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: bishop to e7 (f8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to c7 (g7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e8 (e4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to c6 (b7·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d5 (b3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: bishop to b7 (a8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 1: queen to c6 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 1: queen to h2 (e5·4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: queen to g4 (f5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 1: discovered attack on d2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: pin on e8 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: knight to d5 (f4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: rook to h7 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to b8 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: rook to b4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d8 (g8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: king to b1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to c6 (b6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: bishop to c6 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to b7 (b6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: pawn to f4 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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