Day 860: Promotion race
Target rating: 1818
Lesson of the day
A promotion race is a sprint between two passed pawns: both sides push toward the last rank, and victory goes to whoever queens first or queens with check. You will recognize it when both players have far-advanced passers that neither king can catch. Count the tempi literally, move by move, all the way to promotion. The classic mistake is spending a tempo on a "useful" move — in a race, almost any non-pawn move loses.
Warm-up
1. Mate in 3: bishop to c5 (b4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: queen to f8 (b4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to e7 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: rook to b7 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c5 (d3·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: bishop to d5 (a2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 2: rook to d1 (a1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: knight to c3 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d5 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to h8 (g7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: pawn to c8 (c7·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: pawn to c8 (c7·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: pawn to e8 (e7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: pawn to f8 (f7·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: pawn to b8 (b7·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: rook to f8 (f7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to g7 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to g6 (h6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: queen to h8 (g7·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: bishop to c6 (d5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: bishop to h3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: rook to a8 (a7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (c8·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: bishop to h6 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 861 →