Day 290: 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.

Types of the dayMate in 1 Uncastled king Only move

Warm-up

1. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a1 (d1)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d4 (f2·4)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

3. Winning blow: king to f1 (g1·3)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b6 (e3)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c6 (b5·16)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e4 (f5)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (f3·24)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

8. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g6 (b1·8)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e2 (c3)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f3 (g2·19)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 1: queen to e2Shuffle Rating 1104 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

12. Mate in 1: queen to g2 (b7)Shuffle Rating 1107 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

13. Mate in 1: queen to g3 (b8)Shuffle Rating 1116 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

14. Mate in 1: rook to e8 (e6)Shuffle Rating 1117 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

15. Mate in 1: queen to g2 (g6·7)Shuffle Rating 1121 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

16. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (f4·14)Shuffle Rating 1060 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

17. Winning blow: bishop to g4 (e2·3)Shuffle Rating 1060 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

18. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e3 (f1·3)Shuffle Rating 1060 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

19. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g4 (e3·10)Shuffle Rating 1060 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

20. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h6 (c1·14)Shuffle Rating 1060 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

21. Winning blow: queen to e3 (c1)Shuffle Rating 1060 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

22. Winning blow: queen to c4 (f7·2)Shuffle Rating 1060 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

23. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d1 (e1·2)Shuffle Rating 1060 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

24. Winning blow: rook to a8 (a4·2)Shuffle Rating 1060 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

25. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (f4·15)Shuffle Rating 1060 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (a2)Shuffle Rating 1110 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

27. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c3 (a1·2)Shuffle Rating 1110 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

28. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f2 (f1·8)Shuffle Rating 1290 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 2: queen to e6 (f5)Shuffle Rating 1090 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

30. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g8 (g3)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 291 →