Day 171: Mate in 1

Target Rating 824

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.

Types of the dayMate in 1 Uncastled king Hanging piece

Warm-up

1. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c6 (c1)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

2. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h6 (c1·5)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

3. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a5 (b3·7)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to h1 (g3)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a3 (c1·2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h1 (g1·2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (d4·47)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

8. Winning blow: queen to h8 (h7)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c4 (c1·4)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

10. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g2 (f2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 1: queen to a8 (a7)Shuffle Rating 978 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

12. Mate in 1: queen to g2 (g7·3)Shuffle Rating 982 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

13. Mate in 1: queen to b5 (f5)Shuffle Rating 983 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

14. Mate in 1: queen to g7 (d7)Shuffle Rating 984 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

15. Mate in 1: queen to e8 (g6)Shuffle Rating 985 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

16. Mate in 1: knight to g6 (f8)Shuffle Rating 945 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

17. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (g3·54)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

18. Winning blow: bishop to d4 (f2·4)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

19. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (f7·2)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

20. Winning blow: bishop to g4 (d1)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

21. Winning blow: queen to b1 (c2)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

22. Winning blow: bishop to b6 (c5·2)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a6 (f1·4)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

24. Winning blow: knight to h6 (f7)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (d3·2)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 2: pawn to f3Shuffle Rating 1013 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

27. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c1 (d1·2)Shuffle Rating 1060 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

28. Castling-960 to the rescue on c8Shuffle Rating 1150 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: king to f2 (f1·2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

30. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d8 (a5·3)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!