Day 749: Mate in 2
Target rating: 1446
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: bishop to d5 (e4·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: bishop to f3 (h1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: pawn to c4 (c2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to h3 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to f8 (b8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to b7 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to a6 (a7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a5 (c3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: bishop to b6 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: bishop to c6 (g2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to g3 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to c6 (h1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d7 (d4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: rook to g5 (g4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to h3 (g3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: bishop to g5 (h6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to c8 (c3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to a7 (c5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to a7 (g1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g4 (g2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to f3 (d1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to a3 (a2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: king to g1 (f2·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 750 →