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Day 387: 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. Winning blow: knight to c5 (e6·4)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (f3·4)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e6 (c4·3)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b7 (a6·4)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: king to d2 (c1·6)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to h8 (d8)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to e4 (g3)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to f8 (f3·2)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to d4 (a7)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: knight to f6 (g4·2)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 1: queen to d7 (b7)Shuffle Rating 1249Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 1: queen to b6Shuffle Rating 1254Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: queen to c3Shuffle Rating 1264Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 1: knight to h3 (g5)Shuffle Rating 1264Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: queen to g1 (e3)Shuffle Rating 1264Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to f4 (f1·3)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: knight to c6 (e5·12)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to f3 (d1·2)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (e3·2)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to g3 (e3·2)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a1 (b1·6)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h1 (g1·13)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: bishop to b4 (c5)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: king to c1 (b1·4)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (f2·4)Shuffle Rating 1110Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: queen to g2 (f1)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Mate in 2: pin on f3Shuffle Rating 1272Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (h1·9)Shuffle Rating 1430Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (d4·97)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d2 (d1·3)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 388 →