Day 910: Mate in 2
Target rating: 1768
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: bishop to g7 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: rook to e6 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to h7 (c2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: rook to c6 (c5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: queen to c7 (d7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: queen to h6 (d6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: queen to f7 (f3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: bishop to h8 (d4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: queen to g8 (g2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to c5 (d5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: pin on g6 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to g4 (d1·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to h3 (h4·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to g3 (e3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: queen to g4 (g1)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: bishop to d6 (f4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to f3 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: knight to e6 (f4·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to a3 (a4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: pawn to f4 (g3·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to g8 (c4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to d6 (d7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to d8 (b6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e1·25)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to d8 (a5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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