Day 45: 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 d5Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to h2Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c4 (b3·2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

4. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h5 (e2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b8 (b7)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e7 (e3)Shuffle Rating 850 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d4 (e3·2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

8. Winning blow: pawn to f4Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a8 (h1·26)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f7 (c4·4)Shuffle Rating 850 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c7 (h2)Shuffle Rating 850 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

12. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f7 (b3·3)Shuffle Rating 850 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

13. Mate in 1: queen to b7 (b1)Shuffle Rating 852 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

14. Mate in 1: queen to g2 (f2·2)Shuffle Rating 852 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

15. Mate in 1: queen to h2 (c7·3)Shuffle Rating 853 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

16. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g1 (e1)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

17. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (d4·10)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

18. Winning blow: bishop to f8 (c5)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

19. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (g3·5)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

20. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g6 (h5·2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

21. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g6 (b1·7)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

22. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c4Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f3Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

24. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h8 (b2·6)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a2Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: rook to f7 (f1·4)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

27. Winning blow: pawn to b7 (a6)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

28. Mate in 3: queen to h5Shuffle Rating 921 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c3 (b2·2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

30. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (d3·3)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 46 →