Day 951: Mate in 3
Target rating: 1996
Lesson of the day
Mate in three is a forced staircase: each of your moves narrows the opponent's choices, and the third one ends the game. Look for the start among checks and sacrifices — quiet first moves are rare in mating problems, but deliciously sneaky. Keep the tree in your head: every defense gets its own branch. Do not stop calculating after move two — see the final mating picture with your own eyes.
Warm-up
1. Chess960 tactic on d4 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to e7 (f7·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Chess960 tactic on c7 (c8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (e4·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c6 (h1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to a8 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d6 (c5·39)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: bishop to d8 (g5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Chess960 tactic on b1 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to d4 (d1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: double attack on f5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: rook to g3 (f3·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: queen to b7 (b2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to h2 (h4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d3 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to g7 (g1·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to f5 (f1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to b7 (h1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Chess960 tactic on f1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to c5 (d3·24)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Chess960 tactic on a5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: knight to d6 (e4·24)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Chess960 tactic on e6 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to e6 (e1·29)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d6 (g3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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