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Day 516: 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 (d3·9)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to c4 (e5)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to c8 (c1·4)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: pawn to f6 (e5·7)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to f5 (h3)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to d5 (e3·9)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g8 (g6·2)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c3 (e2·2)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to f8 (f2·2)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a8 (d8)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 1: queen to g7 (g4·5)Shuffle Rating 1445Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 1: rook to f8 (f1·2)Shuffle Rating 1459Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: rook to g8 (d8)Shuffle Rating 1460Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 1: queen to c5 (g5)Shuffle Rating 1468Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: rook to f1 (h1)Shuffle Rating 1470Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Pin: bishop to c2Shuffle Rating 1344Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Castling-960 to the rescue on a1 (e1·3)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Castling-960 to the rescue on g1 (f1·6)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Castling-960 to the rescue on h1 (e1)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Castling-960 to the rescue on b1 (c1·2)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Castling-960 to the rescue on f1 (c1)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Castling-960 to the rescue on a8 (b8)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e1·14)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Castling-960 to the rescue on h1 (f1·4)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Fork: knight to d3 (e5·3)Shuffle Rating 1264Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 2: rook to b7 (a7·2)Shuffle Rating 1450Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Mate in 2: queen to d7 (g7)Shuffle Rating 1450Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Mate in 1: pawn to b3Shuffle Rating 1503Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 2: pawn to f4 (f2)Shuffle Rating 1220Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: queen to f5 (f3·4)Shuffle Rating 1150Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 517 →