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Day 635: Discovered mate

Lesson of the day

In a discovered mate the piece that moves is not the one that mates — the long-range piece behind it delivers the blow. The moving piece is completely free: it can land anywhere, ideally stealing the king's last squares or guarding key points. Look for your rook, bishop or queen lined up with the enemy king, with exactly one of your own pieces in between. When choosing the unveiling move, remember its second job — shutting the king's escape door.

Warm-up

1. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f8 (f2·5)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 2: queen to b8 (b2)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 2: queen to d8 (a8·3)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 2: knight to a6Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 2: queen to d8 (d2·8)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 2: queen to f8 (a8)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (e5·3)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6 (d4·15)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f7 (f3·6)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6 (e5·17)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 3: bishop to f8 (h6)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: rook to d7 (d1·3)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: rook to e8 (e1·3)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to e6 (e3·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: rook to b5 (a5)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: queen to e4 (f4·3)Shuffle Rating 1470Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: bishop to a7 (b6·3)Shuffle Rating 1430Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to d7 (b5·6)Shuffle Rating 1470Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to b7 (c7·5)Shuffle Rating 1430Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to h8 (h6·4)Shuffle Rating 1450Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: king to d2 (c1·23)Shuffle Rating 1470Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: pawn to c6 (c5·8)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to h5 (d5)Shuffle Rating 1430Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: rook to a8 (a7·5)Shuffle Rating 1450Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to c4 (e6)Shuffle Rating 1470Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h7 (d3·6)Shuffle Rating 1610Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Winning blow: rook to d6 (d1·22)Shuffle Rating 1650Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: pawn to d3 (d2·5)Shuffle Rating 1750Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 2: pin on f2 (f5)Shuffle Rating 1603Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: king to d2 (d1·11)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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