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Day 708: 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. Winning blow: rook to e1 (e4·3)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d2 (d5)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to f2 (f5)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to d1 (c2·3)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: knight to c3 (b1·3)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d2 (c1·2)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to e4 (h4)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: queen to d1 (e2·2)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to f5 (f3·6)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to d1 (d2·2)Shuffle Rating 1340Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 3: queen to b3 (b6)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d7 (d6·2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: queen to g2Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: bishop to e4 (d5·2)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b5 (b3)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 1: queen to g4 (g8)Shuffle Rating 1549Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: bishop to a6 (f1)Shuffle Rating 1549Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: fork on g2Shuffle Rating 1550Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: fork on e1 (c3)Shuffle Rating 1556Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: knight to g5 (f3·3)Shuffle Rating 1557Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to d8 (a5·3)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: knight to e6 (c7·7)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to g2 (f2)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to f7 (e6·7)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to b6 (a7·3)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: rook to e4 (e2·4)Shuffle Rating 1700Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Mate in 3: queen to f5 (e4·4)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: rook to c8 (c1·21)Shuffle Rating 1840Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: bishop to d4 (a1·7)Shuffle Rating 1420Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Mate in 3: bishop to a5 (e1·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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