Day 894: Corner mate
Target rating: 1896
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: rook to b7 (c7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: rook to a8 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e7 (e3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: rook to c7 (c4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: queen to f6 (g7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: pawn to d6 (d5·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a7 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e1·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: rook to e7 (e6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to f5 (f3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: double attack on f7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: fork on f7 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: queen to e5 (c5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Chess960 tactic on e6 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Chess960 tactic on f8 (g6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: rook to g3 (g4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: double attack on f1 (c4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: double attack on g7 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d7 (e5·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: queen to b6 (c5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: queen to d3 (a6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: rook to a3 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: king to f2 (g1·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: rook to b6 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to a7 (a3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 895 →