Day 794: Queen endgame
Target rating: 1696
Lesson of the day
Queen endgames are treacherous: the queen reaches everywhere, and one slip turns a win into perpetual check. The signs are few pawns, exposed kings, and checks hanging in the air. Tuck your king away early, and use your own checks to bring the queen closer or push your passer with tempo. The typical mistake is grabbing pawns while leaving your king exposed to endless checks.
Warm-up
1. Mate in 3: pawn to e5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: rook to d1 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to e4 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: rook to b7 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: king to e1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: queen to f8 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: rook to d3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: queen to d7 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: knight to e5 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: king to d2 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to f4 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (e2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Fork: queen to b3 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to g3 (c3·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: knight to g3 (f5·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to f5 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: knight to d5 (e3·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to h8 (h2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to f7 (g6·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to f6 (e6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e6 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g5 (g1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e7 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b8 (b1·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 795 →