Day 829: Pawn mate
Target rating: 1766
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 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: queen to e6 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: rook to f7 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: rook to d4 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: queen to f6 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g4 (h4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: rook to a5 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: pawn to f4 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d6 (b4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to c5 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: pawn to a5 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: queen to f7 (d5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: pawn to g4 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to e7 (f7·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: king to h3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: queen to h7 (c2·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: rook to f2 (d2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: pawn to c8 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: knight to b7 (a5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: queen to f5 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: pawn to e8 (f7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c8 (a8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: knight to c8 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: knight to b5 (a7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: knight to f6 (d7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 830 →