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Day 226: 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: bishop to c2 (b1)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b7 (b1)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a4 (c3·14)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b4 (d5)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c5 (d4·33)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a8 (h1·23)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (c4·74)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h2 (h1·2)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f3 (h1·2)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: pawn to f3 (g2·5)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 1: queen to f7 (h5·4)Shuffle Rating 1046Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 1: queen to a4Shuffle Rating 1050Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: queen to g8 (e6)Shuffle Rating 1051Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 1: queen to h2 (f4·6)Shuffle Rating 1056Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: queen to h5 (e2·2)Shuffle Rating 1057Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: bishop to b6 (c5·3)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g7 (h6·6)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to f5 (e4·2)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Fork: knight to f6 (e8)Shuffle Rating 967Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to c6 (e5·7)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to b5 (a4·6)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e6 (f5·4)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Fork: rook to d5Shuffle Rating 968Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to g7 (g1·3)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Skewer: rook to h6 (f6)Shuffle Rating 971Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h5 (h6)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Winning blow: king to d2 (d1·7)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Mate in 2: rook to h4 (e4)Shuffle Rating 1220Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: queen to c6 (b7·3)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: pawn to c5 (d4·9)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 227 →