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Day 485: Pawn mate

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.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: queen to f7 (c4)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to g4 (e3)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to d6 (f8·3)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to d8 (d4)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to d5 (c5)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to f7 (f2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to a8 (e8)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e4·2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to h8 (h7·5)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to g6 (e6·2)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 2: queen to d4 (d7)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (e6·4)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: bishop to e2 (b5)Shuffle Rating 1446Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f7 (c4·2)Shuffle Rating 1450Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: queen to e7 (e5·3)Shuffle Rating 1450Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: pawn to c6 (b5·10)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c4 (c3)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e4 (f2·5)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to g6 (e4·3)Shuffle Rating 1220Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: king to d2 (e1·16)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to g5 (g4·3)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to a4 (a3)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: bishop to d6 (f4)Shuffle Rating 1220Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: knight to d5 (c3)Shuffle Rating 1220Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to d6 (g3)Shuffle Rating 1245Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d7 (d1·8)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Mate in 1: knight to h2Shuffle Rating 1375Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b2 (a1·11)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: knight to e6 (f4·13)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b3 (c2·5)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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