Open in the app

Day 27: 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. Mate in 2: rook to h1 (e1)Shuffle Rating 802Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: bishop to b8Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d7 (d1·3)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f7 (e5·12)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 2: knight to f4Shuffle Rating 802Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (c4)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b6 (b1)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (f5·3)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to f6 (f7)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 2: rook to e1 (e6)Shuffle Rating 803Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 1: queen to g7 (g3·2)Shuffle Rating 793Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 1: queen to g7 (b2)Shuffle Rating 793Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: rook to h8 (h7)Shuffle Rating 794Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 1: queen to h7 (c7)Shuffle Rating 797Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: rook to h4 (b4)Shuffle Rating 797Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e6 (d5·2)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d5 (h1·3)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e5 (a1·10)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Fork: bishop to e5Shuffle Rating 784Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to h2 (e5)Shuffle Rating 806Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (d4·4)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to h4Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c8 (c3·2)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Fork: knight to c3Shuffle Rating 792Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: rook to a1 (a2)Shuffle Rating 807Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Skewer: rook to d1Shuffle Rating 833Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g6 (h5)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: bishop to b6 (c5)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (f4)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Mate in 1: queen to h7 (h5·2)Shuffle Rating 791Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 28 →