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Day 786: Pawn mate

Lesson of the day

The pawn mate lets the humblest soldier land the final blow. It happens to a king stuck among its own and enemy pieces: the pawn strikes diagonally from one square away and there is nowhere left to run. The sign: the squares around the king are covered or occupied, and your pawn stands one step from striking distance. Never write pawns out of your attack — their blows are the cheapest and therefore the most humiliating.

Warm-up

1. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c5 (d4·8)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: queen to d2 (e1·3)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to a8 (a5·6)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to g7 (a1·7)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: bishop to h3 (g2·3)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to d7 (c5·20)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to c6 (b6·6)Shuffle Rating 1560Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Pin: rook to c6Shuffle Rating 1563Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Fork: queen to f4 (f5)Shuffle Rating 1575Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Fork: bishop to g5 (h6)Shuffle Rating 1588Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 3: queen to c7 (e5·2)Shuffle Rating 1860Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: rook to c7 (c1·4)Shuffle Rating 1860Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: queen to c6 (h1·2)Shuffle Rating 1860Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: queen to c6 (a6·3)Shuffle Rating 1860Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: queen to b7 (b8·2)Shuffle Rating 1860Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: pin on f2Shuffle Rating 1763Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: rook to c6 (b6)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: bishop to d7Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: rook to e7 (e6·3)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: bishop to a2 (b1)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to c8 (a6·5)Shuffle Rating 1758Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Fork: bishop to f2 (c5·4)Shuffle Rating 1764Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: bishop to c5 (d6)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: knight to d7 (e5·3)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: queen to c5 (e3)Shuffle Rating 1760Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Pin: knight to e5Shuffle Rating 1902Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Deflection: pawn to h2 (h3)Shuffle Rating 1912Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
28. Pin: rook to e6Shuffle Rating 2008Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 3: queen to h7 (h5·2)Shuffle Rating 1860Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Mate in 3: queen to f8 (c5)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 787 →