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Day 131: Mate in 2

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. Winning blow: queen to c3 (a1)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (e4·50)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b5 (a4·10)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (c4·93)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h1 (g1)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·91)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d4 (c3·12)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g6 (f5·17)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h4 (h3·2)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b5 (b1·3)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 2: rook to f3Shuffle Rating 960Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: bishop to c3Shuffle Rating 962Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: deflection on h6Shuffle Rating 964Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to g3 (d3)Shuffle Rating 968Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: knight to f3 (e5)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b1 (e1)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (g3·47)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: king to d2Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (g4·15)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d2 (b2)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g3 (f2·14)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c4 (d3·6)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·92)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b5 (c4·9)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (e4·51)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Skewer: rook to a5 (a6)Shuffle Rating 911Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
27. Skewer: bishop to f4Shuffle Rating 914Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: pawn to f3 (e2·6)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: pawn to b3 (c2·6)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: bishop to e2 (c4)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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