Day 882: Mate in 2
Target rating: 1723
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 e7 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: queen to d8 (c8·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to b5 (f1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: pawn to e7 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: rook to g7 (d7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: bishop to d4 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: queen to d8 (e7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: queen to h7 (h4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: bishop to c2 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to e5 (a1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to f4 (d4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: double attack on h6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to c7 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to f4 (c7)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: discovered attack on c7Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: pawn to d6 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to b8 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to c8 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: queen to g7 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: queen to h5 (d1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: rook to f3 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (g6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: pawn to c8 (b7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: rook to b8 (a8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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