Day 953: Queen endgame
Target rating: 2001
Lesson of the day
Queen endgames are treacherous: the queen reaches everywhere, and one slip turns a win into perpetual check. The signs are few pawns, exposed kings, and checks hanging in the air. Tuck your king away early, and use your own checks to bring the queen closer or push your passer with tempo. The typical mistake is grabbing pawns while leaving your king exposed to endless checks.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: rook to f6 (f8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b6 (b2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to a7 (a1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to d7 (h7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to c7 (c2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to d8 (d7·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to f8 (h8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: knight to f6 (d5·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d8·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: bishop to e7 (g5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: queen to d4 (f4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to c8 (a8·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: queen to e7 (d7·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: pawn to d4 (d2·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Win the hanging queen on h6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to c6 (b6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: knight to e5 (f3·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: knight to d5 (c3·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f7·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to f7 (f1·29)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to e5 (e1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e3·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to e6 (f7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to b7 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to c5 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 954 →