Day 81: Mate in 2
Target rating: 712
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. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a2 (a1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·37)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g5 (h4·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h6 (g5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d7 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (c4·43)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d3 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g5 (h4·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a5 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: rook to h6 (h4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to h7 (h5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: rook to e7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to d1 (f3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: queen to h6 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e6 (f5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g4 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (c4·44)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b5 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b5 (c4·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g4 (h3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d6 (c5·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g8 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c5 (b3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b4 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
26. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c7 (d6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g7 (h6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e5 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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