Day 770: Mate in 2
Target rating: 1493
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: knight to f1 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f6 (e5·26)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f7 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to e6 (d4·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to g4 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to g7 (c3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e4 (e2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: king to e2 (f1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d1 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: knight to f6 (h7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e7 (e2·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: pawn to g6 (g5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: bishop to a6 (f1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: pawn to g8 (g7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: queen to f8 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to f8 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to d8 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: queen to d8 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: rook to c8 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: queen to a2Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to g6 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: king to d1 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: rook to f8 (f1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: bishop to f6 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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