Day 74: 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.

Types of the dayMate in 2 Uncastled king Hanging piece

Warm-up

1. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c5 (e3)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

2. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b5 (e2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (g3·25)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e4 (g5)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

5. Winning blow: knight to c7 (b5·2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a6 (b7)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·29)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

8. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h4 (h1·3)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e8 (a4)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

10. Winning blow: knight to d4Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 2: queen to h4Shuffle Rating 863 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

12. Mate in 2: queen to a1Shuffle Rating 869 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

13. Mate in 2: rook to d1 (d2·3)Shuffle Rating 869 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

14. Mate in 2: pawn to g5Shuffle Rating 870 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

15. Mate in 2: queen to f2 (b6)Shuffle Rating 871 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

16. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d6 (e5·8)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

17. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g2 (g1·2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

18. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e6 (d5)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

19. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c7 (f4)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

20. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e6 (d5·10)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

21. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h6 (c1)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

22. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d6 (c5·12)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

23. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (e4·8)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

24. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c4 (b2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

25. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c8 (c3)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (b5)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

27. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h7 (g8)Shuffle Rating 970 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

28. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f4 (f1·7)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Winning blow: queen to e7Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

30. Mate in 1: rook to e8 (e1·8)Shuffle Rating 900 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 75 →