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Day 584: Corner mate

Lesson of the day

The corner mate catches a king driven into the corner, where it has only three neighboring squares — all of them taken away or blocked. The corner is the worst home for a king, because the attacker needs to control the fewest squares there. Herd the king toward the corner with checks and never let it slip back toward the center. Cut off the escape routes before the final check, and the mate practically assembles itself.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: queen to f3 (a3)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to c3 (f3·2)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to c3 (g3·2)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to a8 (h1·5)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to e3 (d1·4)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to f2 (e3·2)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to e8 (e2·3)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e6 (f5·24)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: knight to f6 (e4·15)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to d6 (c7·2)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 2: rook to h3 (f3·2)Shuffle Rating 1453Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to h3 (g3·3)Shuffle Rating 1461Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to h6 (g5·3)Shuffle Rating 1465Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to c2 (c7)Shuffle Rating 1467Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: fork on e5Shuffle Rating 1468Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Rescue the king to b3Shuffle Rating 1436Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: knight to h6 (f5·3)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to d6 (a3·2)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to b6 (g1)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to h6 (h4·2)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c7 (a7·2)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: knight to f6 (e4·8)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Pin: bishop to b5Shuffle Rating 1355Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: rook to c8 (c2·3)Shuffle Rating 1354Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: rook to e8 (e7·2)Shuffle Rating 1354Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h5 (d1·4)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Mate in 3: bishop to f6 (a1)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: bishop to g7 (b2·4)Shuffle Rating 1650Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Attack on the uncastled king: king to d2 (e2)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Fork: knight to g6 (f4·2)Shuffle Rating 1251Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 585 →