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Day 749: 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: bishop to d5 (e4·8)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: bishop to f3 (h1·7)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: pawn to c4 (c2·4)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to h3 (c3)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e1·16)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to f8 (b8)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to b7 (b2)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to a6 (a7)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a5 (c3·8)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: bishop to b6 (e3·2)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 2: bishop to c6 (g2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to g3 (c3)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: queen to c6 (h1·4)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d7 (d4·6)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: rook to g5 (g4·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to h3 (g3·7)Shuffle Rating 1610Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: bishop to g5 (h6·3)Shuffle Rating 1610Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to c8 (c3·2)Shuffle Rating 1610Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to a7 (c5·8)Shuffle Rating 1610Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to a7 (g1·2)Shuffle Rating 1610Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g4 (g2·3)Shuffle Rating 1610Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to f3 (d1·4)Shuffle Rating 1610Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (e3·3)Shuffle Rating 1610Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to a3 (a2·3)Shuffle Rating 1610Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: king to g1 (f2·12)Shuffle Rating 1610Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 2: rook to h3 (f3·3)Shuffle Rating 1666Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
27. Winning blow: rook to a7 (a1·7)Shuffle Rating 1700Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: bishop to d4 (f2·8)Shuffle Rating 1750Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 3: queen to b5 (f1)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Winning blow: rook to g8 (g5)Shuffle Rating 1280Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

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