Day 344: Pawn mate

Target Rating 1048

Lesson of the day

The pawn mate lets the humblest soldier land the final blow. It happens to a king stuck among its own and enemy pieces: the pawn strikes diagonally from one square away and there is nowhere left to run. The sign: the squares around the king are covered or occupied, and your pawn stands one step from striking distance. Never write pawns out of your attack — their blows are the cheapest and therefore the most humiliating.

Types of the dayPawn mate Mate in 2 Setup fork

Warm-up

1. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g4 (e2·2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (f5)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c4 (c3·3)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

4. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g5 (c1·11)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h5 (g4·15)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d7 (g4·4)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

7. Winning blow: queen to d8Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f7 (g5·26)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

9. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to a5 (b4·15)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

10. Winning blow: knight to f6 (d5·3)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 2: pawn to b3 (b2)Shuffle Rating 1220 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

12. Mate in 2: bishop to h2 (e5)Shuffle Rating 1264 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

13. Mate in 1: pawn to g6Shuffle Rating 1276 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

14. Winning blow: queen to e8 (e5·6)Shuffle Rating 1290 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

15. Winning blow: knight to b5 (d4·5)Shuffle Rating 1290 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

16. Mate in 2: bishop to f4 (g5)Shuffle Rating 1090 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

17. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h8 (f6·2)Shuffle Rating 1090 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

18. Mate in 2: rook to c8 (a8)Shuffle Rating 1090 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

19. Mate in 2: queen to g3 (f3)Shuffle Rating 1090 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

20. Mate in 2: queen to g8 (h7)Shuffle Rating 1090 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

21. Fork: bishop to d3Shuffle Rating 1066 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

22. Mate in 2: rook to d8 (d3)Shuffle Rating 1090 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

23. Mate in 1: rook to h2 (h7)Shuffle Rating 1097 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

24. Fork: bishop to g4 (f5)Shuffle Rating 1066 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e5 (c5)Shuffle Rating 1090 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: king to h2 (g1·26)Shuffle Rating 1250 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

27. Mate in 2: queen to g7 (a1·3)Shuffle Rating 1320 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

28. Mate in 2: rook to f8 (f1·8)Shuffle Rating 1320 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: queen to d8 (d1)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

30. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (b2·5)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!