Day 796: Mate in 2
Target rating: 1696
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. Mate in 3: bishop to h6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: rook to e8 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: rook to g1 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: rook to h1 (g1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: rook to a5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: queen to b6 (f2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: queen to c8 (b7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: knight to d4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: rook to d8 (d3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h6 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to e7 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: knight to e7 (d5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: deflection on d1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: rook to b8 (b7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: rook to f7 (h7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c6 (c2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: knight to e7 (d5·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to g7 (d7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: knight to c5 (e4·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to f6 (b2·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to g7 (g3·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to d5 (g2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (c5·25)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Win the hanging queen on e3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to c6 (b6·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 797 →