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Day 509: Mate in 2

Lesson of the day

Mate in two: your move, any reply, then the mating blow. Start with the most forcing first moves — checks and sacrifices that shrink the opponent's options to almost nothing. Against every single reply you must have a mate ready, so check them all without exception. The common failure is analyzing the pretty defense and forgetting the boring one.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e8·2)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: king to f2 (g1·5)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to h3 (g3·2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: king to a2 (b1·7)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: king to d2 (e1·10)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to e2 (c3·2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: pawn to g4 (g3·2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: king to b1 (c1·6)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: king to d2 (c1·7)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to e2 (d1·7)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 2: pin on a6Shuffle Rating 1254Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: pin on h3Shuffle Rating 1254Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: bishop to g7Shuffle Rating 1268Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: rook to h2 (h8)Shuffle Rating 1278Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: knight to e4 (g5)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g5 (h3·5)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to d4 (g4·2)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c4 (c3·3)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a8 (a4·5)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d7 (d2)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to e4 (a4)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to h4 (g4)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (e4·4)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to a7 (a5·10)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: rook to b7 (b6)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e5 (h5·2)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Winning blow: bishop to e4 (b1·6)Shuffle Rating 1420Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Fork: rook to d1 (e1)Shuffle Rating 1564Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Discovered attack: bishop to f2 (d4)Shuffle Rating 1227Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: knight to b5 (c7·2)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 510 →