Day 908: Mate in 4+
Target rating: 1913
Lesson of the day
Mate in four or longer is a marathon of forcing moves where the grip must never loosen. The tools are the same: checks, double threats and sacrifices that deny the opponent a single free tempo. Do not juggle the whole tree at once — walk the main line all the way to mate first, then verify the side branches. If somewhere the defender finds one quiet move that holds, your very first move was wrong.
Warm-up
1. Mate in 3: queen to g7 (h6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: bishop to g7 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b7 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: queen to d7 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: knight to e6 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f7 (f4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to d2 (d1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: queen to h5 (h3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to e5 (g3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e8 (e3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Chess960 tactic on c7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Chess960 tactic on g4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Chess960 tactic on d7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Chess960 tactic on f6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Chess960 tactic on b7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: knight to d6 (f5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to f7 (c7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to g7 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: queen to g6 (g3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: queen to e7 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g8 (g3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: rook to g8 (e8·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e7 (a3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: rook to c7 (c1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f7 (g7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 909 →