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Day 691: Mate in 2

Lesson of the day

Mate in two: your move, any reply, then the mating blow. Start with the most forcing first moves — checks and sacrifices that shrink the opponent's options to almost nothing. Against every single reply you must have a mate ready, so check them all without exception. The common failure is analyzing the pretty defense and forgetting the boring one.

Warm-up

1. Winning blow: knight to c6 (d4·14)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to d8 (e7·3)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: bishop to b7 (h1·6)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to e6 (a2·4)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to d7 (c7·6)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to c7 (b6·2)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to g7 (c3·4)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to d7 (c7)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to b7 (a8·7)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: bishop to g7 (e5)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 2: queen to f6 (c3·7)Shuffle Rating 1523Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to g7 (h6·4)Shuffle Rating 1524Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: double attack on g5Shuffle Rating 1528Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: bishop to e6 (c8)Shuffle Rating 1450Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: rook to h8 (h7·7)Shuffle Rating 1450Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: queen to g6 (d3·5)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to d6 (d5·3)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to c7 (b6·2)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: knight to d5 (c3·2)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: pawn to f5 (f4)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to c5 (c2)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: queen to f5 (h7·2)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: knight to c6 (e5·3)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to d8 (h4·3)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to d7 (e7·3)Shuffle Rating 1440Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Deflection: queen to c5Shuffle Rating 1726Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (e6)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: queen to h6 (h1)Shuffle Rating 1790Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: rook to h6 (h5·3)Shuffle Rating 1650Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: king to b3 (b2·3)Shuffle Rating 1390Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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