Day 92: Mate in 2
Target rating: 728
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. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b5 (c4·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d5 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b4 (a3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d4 (c3·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (g4·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d3 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g6 (h5·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c4 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: knight to f6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h3 (g2·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: queen to c4 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to d5 (h1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: bishop to h5 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: pawn to a7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: pawn to g4Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·48)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f3 (g2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g4 (h3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h8 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e6 (f5·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d4 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c6 (d5·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e4 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c2 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e4 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 93 →