Day 745: Pawn mate
Target rating: 1596
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. Winning blow: queen to c6 (h1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e1·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to e2 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to b6 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to c2 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to a8 (h1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to h6 (g6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to g5 (g4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: rook to f3 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to a5 (a4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: bishop to c6 (d5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: bishop to h5 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: queen to b8 (b5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to d8 (e8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: queen to c8 (f5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: queen to c8 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to g5 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: pawn to f6 (f5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: rook to d8 (d1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: pawn to d7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: queen to b8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to h5 (h6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: knight to d5 (c3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: queen to d6 (e6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: queen to a5 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 746 →