Day 969: Mate in 4+
Target rating: 2042
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. Win the hanging king on f6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Pin: rook to f2 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Rescue the pawn to b6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Pin: queen to g6 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Rescue the pawn to e4 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to g7 (f7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Fork: queen to b6 (d8·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: bishop to e5 (f6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: rook to e8 (e7·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: rook to d7 (e7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Chess960 tactic on c8 (c7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Chess960 tactic on e7 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Chess960 tactic on h6 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g8 (g3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Chess960 tactic on g5 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: queen to h7 (d7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: rook to b7 (c7·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: bishop to b7 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: queen to b4 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: rook to c5 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: discovered attack on b6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: double attack on b3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to h4 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: pin on h8 (b8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: discovered attack on c3Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 970 →