Day 808: Pawn mate
Target rating: 1713
Lesson of the day
The pawn mate lets the humblest soldier land the final blow. It happens to a king stuck among its own and enemy pieces: the pawn strikes diagonally from one square away and there is nowhere left to run. The sign: the squares around the king are covered or occupied, and your pawn stands one step from striking distance. Never write pawns out of your attack — their blows are the cheapest and therefore the most humiliating.
Warm-up
1. Mate in 3: queen to h7 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: rook to d8 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (a4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: queen to d7 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: pawn to g6 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: queen to d8 (a5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: queen to e7 (e8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: queen to a8 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b6 (g1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: bishop to b5 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: king to e3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: king to f3 (g2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: pawn to d5 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: bishop to e2 (d3·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: pawn to a5Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: rook to f5 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Pin: knight to c6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: bishop to f2 (c5·5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Fork: queen to c3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Fork: knight to f7 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Fork: queen to b8 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Fork: queen to f1 (b5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Discovered attack: rook to g7 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Win the hanging rook on f3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Win the hanging queen on f6 (g6)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 809 →