Day 820: Mate in 2
Target rating: 1743
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: queen to c6 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: pawn to f8 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: rook to c6 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: queen to f8 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: rook to a1 (b1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c4 (b3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: queen to a8 (a7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: queen to d5 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: bishop to f4 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 2: rook to c7 (c1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to f7 (f2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: discovered attack on h6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: rook to h8 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: pin on h6 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: rook to e6 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: pawn to a5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to a6 (f1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: rook to g8 (g7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h5 (e2·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: pawn to c5 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: queen to a8 (b7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: bishop to h6 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: knight to d6 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: queen to c6 (a6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: queen to e6 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 821 →