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Day 12: Mate in 1

Lesson of the day

Mate in one: the combination is over, only the final precise shot remains. The method is simple — list every check you have and test the three escapes against each: king moves, blocks, and capturing the checker. If none of them works, it is mate. The classic blunder is falling in love with the first check you see and missing the one escape hatch.

Warm-up

1. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c7 (b5)Shuffle Rating 620Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 1: rook to h1 (h5)Shuffle Rating 688Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 1: queen to h7 (h4·2)Shuffle Rating 692Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g7 (f5·6)Shuffle Rating 620Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Back-rank mate in 2 on a8Shuffle Rating 651Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 1: queen to h2 (c7)Shuffle Rating 692Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 1: queen to h5Shuffle Rating 693Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c7 (d5)Shuffle Rating 620Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Back-rank mate in 2 on d8Shuffle Rating 652Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 1: queen to h7 (e4·3)Shuffle Rating 692Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 1: rook to e1 (a1)Shuffle Rating 677Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 1: rook to e8 (e3)Shuffle Rating 693Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: rook to e3Shuffle Rating 694Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 1: queen to f8 (c8)Shuffle Rating 696Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: rook to e8 (e4)Shuffle Rating 698Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d7 (e5)Shuffle Rating 620Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b7 (a5·11)Shuffle Rating 620Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 1: queen to h7 (h4·3)Shuffle Rating 692Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f7 (g5·2)Shuffle Rating 620Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to d1 (g4)Shuffle Rating 659Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 1: queen to h7 (e4·4)Shuffle Rating 698Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to h7 (g5·6)Shuffle Rating 620Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Back-rank mate in 2 on e8 (e2)Shuffle Rating 662Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g7 (h5·2)Shuffle Rating 620Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Back-rank mate in 1 on a8Shuffle Rating 663Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g6 (h5·2)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Winning blow: bishop to f7 (d5)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d4 (a1·13)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g5Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Mate in 1: queen to e1 (e4)Shuffle Rating 667Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 13 →