Day 838: Mate in 1
Target rating: 1788
Lesson of the day
Mate in one: the combination is over, only the final precise shot remains. The method is simple — list every check you have and test the three escapes against each: king moves, blocks, and capturing the checker. If none of them works, it is mate. The classic blunder is falling in love with the first check you see and missing the one escape hatch.
Warm-up
1. Mate in 3: rook to f7 (f1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: queen to d4 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to d8 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: queen to b5 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: knight to d7 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: bishop to d5 (a2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: knight to e6 (g5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: queen to g6 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: pawn to d4 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 1: queen to d5 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 1: knight to g5Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: pin on g2 (f3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 1: queen to f1 (a1)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: queen to g4 (e2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: knight to e4 (c3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: pawn to f6 (g5·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (c4·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to e4 (g2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: pawn to b7 (a6·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: bishop to g6 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (a2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: pawn to b3 (c2·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to h6 (h3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: knight to e6 (d4·24)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 839 →