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Day 610: Queen endgame

Lesson of the day

Queen endgames are treacherous: the queen reaches everywhere, and one slip turns a win into perpetual check. The signs are few pawns, exposed kings, and checks hanging in the air. Tuck your king away early, and use your own checks to bring the queen closer or push your passer with tempo. The typical mistake is grabbing pawns while leaving your king exposed to endless checks.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: queen to a4 (d7)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (g4)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to f5 (c5)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: king to h2 (g1·38)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: bishop to f4 (c1·7)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to f5 (b1·5)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to c7 (e8)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to h5 (g5·2)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (f4·23)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: knight to e4 (f2·3)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Trap the queen on g7Shuffle Rating 1402Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to b5 (b4·2)Shuffle Rating 1420Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: knight to f4 (d5)Shuffle Rating 1420Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to h8 (e8·4)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: knight to h4 (g6)Shuffle Rating 1441Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Pin: rook to h6Shuffle Rating 1346Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c8 (b7·5)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: queen to d1Shuffle Rating 1364Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: rook to g4 (f4)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Deflection: pawn to b2Shuffle Rating 1385Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to e6 (c4·3)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to c4 (e2·4)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: knight to e5 (d3·2)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: bishop to d3 (b1)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to e7 (e2·7)Shuffle Rating 1450Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Castling-960 to the rescue on h8 (g8·3)Shuffle Rating 1470Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
27. Mate in 3: pawn to g5 (g4·3)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b2 (a1·12)Shuffle Rating 1700Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (e4·5)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: rook to b7 (b3·4)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 611 →