Day 76: Mate in 2
Target rating: 704
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. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g5 (h4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d4 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d8 (a5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (c4·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b8 (a7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (d3·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c6 (d5·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (g3·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d4 (c3·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to h4 (d8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: deflection on g5 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to d8 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: rook to f1 (f3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: knight to c7 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: bishop to c8 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g4 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (d3·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (d4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c5 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d6 (c5·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: king to f3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: knight to h8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 77 →