Day 806: Only move
Target rating: 1708
Lesson of the day
An only move is a position where everything loses except one single continuation. You cannot play "by hand" here: run through fundamentally different defenses — run away, block, trade, counterattack — and discard the ones that fail. The hallmark of these puzzles is that the obvious moves lose quickly while the solution often looks strange. First understand exactly what the threat is — then the one saving move reveals itself.
Warm-up
1. Mate in 3: bishop to d2 (h6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: king to d2 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a6 (e2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: knight to f7 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: queen to e5 (f5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: bishop to g4 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: queen to a8 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: pawn to f8 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: queen to b5 (a6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to h5 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: rook to f1 (f2·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: knight to e6 (c7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: queen to e1 (e3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (e2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: rook to h1 (h7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: knight to a5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: king to c2 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to f8 (a3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: queen to e7 (f7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: pawn to e6 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: knight to b8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: knight to c3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: pawn to g6 (h5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: rook to b1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 807 →