Day 867: Corner mate
Target rating: 1836
Lesson of the day
The corner mate catches a king driven into the corner, where it has only three neighboring squares — all of them taken away or blocked. The corner is the worst home for a king, because the attacker needs to control the fewest squares there. Herd the king toward the corner with checks and never let it slip back toward the center. Cut off the escape routes before the final check, and the mate practically assembles itself.
Warm-up
1. Mate in 3: queen to a8 (b7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: queen to c5 (c6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to d5 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: knight to h6 (g4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: queen to f8 (f7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: rook to g7 (h7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: queen to a3 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: queen to e6 (d7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: knight to g5 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: pawn to c6 (b5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: queen to c6 (c3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: bishop to h3 (g2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: bishop to f7 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to h4 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: deflection on f7 (g6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: queen to f6 (h6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to f6 (f5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: knight to d7 (e5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: queen to c5 (f2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d5 (c4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: bishop to c6 (g2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to g4 (h4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: rook to a1 (b1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: bishop to e8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: rook to g7 (g8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 868 →