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Day 657: 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: queen to d4 (g1·3)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e6 (e5·7)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 2: knight to d6 (b5)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a6 (f1·7)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 2: queen to d7 (c7·2)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to d4 (a7·3)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 2: rook to c7 (c6·2)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to f3 (f1·8)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to b4 (b2·6)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (b8)Shuffle Rating 1320Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 1: rook to b7 (b8)Shuffle Rating 1565Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 1: queen to g2 (g3·4)Shuffle Rating 1570Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 1: knight to e3Shuffle Rating 1578Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 1: queen to h7 (g6·3)Shuffle Rating 1595Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: knight to c7 (d5)Shuffle Rating 1616Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f5 (g3·15)Shuffle Rating 1480Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to d6 (e6·3)Shuffle Rating 1480Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to c6 (c4·3)Shuffle Rating 1480Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g3 (e2·2)Shuffle Rating 1480Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: discovered attack on a5Shuffle Rating 1441Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (d5·2)Shuffle Rating 1480Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f5 (e3·22)Shuffle Rating 1480Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: rook to e8 (e1·10)Shuffle Rating 1410Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c2 (a4)Shuffle Rating 1480Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Deflection: pawn to f2 (e3)Shuffle Rating 1480Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a3 (a1·6)Shuffle Rating 1650Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Win the hanging queen on f6Shuffle Rating 1678Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (b1·12)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: queen to e5 (b8)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: queen to f5 (d5·2)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 658 →