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Day 808: 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. Mate in 3: queen to h7 (h5)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: rook to d8 (d5)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (a4)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: queen to d7 (d5)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: pawn to g6 (f5)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: queen to d8 (a5·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: queen to e7 (e8·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: queen to a8 (d5)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b6 (g1·5)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: bishop to b5 (d3)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 2: king to e3Shuffle Rating 1893Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: king to f3 (g2)Shuffle Rating 1912Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: pawn to d5 (c4)Shuffle Rating 1918Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: bishop to e2 (d3·3)Shuffle Rating 1935Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 1: pawn to a5Shuffle Rating 1936Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: rook to f5 (f3)Shuffle Rating 1836Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Pin: knight to c6Shuffle Rating 1824Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: bishop to f2 (c5·5)Shuffle Rating 1825Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
19. Fork: queen to c3Shuffle Rating 1827Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Fork: knight to f7 (e5)Shuffle Rating 1829Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Fork: queen to b8 (b5)Shuffle Rating 1829Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Fork: queen to f1 (b5)Shuffle Rating 1834Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Discovered attack: rook to g7 (c7)Shuffle Rating 1835Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Win the hanging rook on f3Shuffle Rating 1822Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Win the hanging queen on f6 (g6)Shuffle Rating 1824Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: pawn to f5 (e4·16)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Skewer: rook to a6 (a7)Shuffle Rating 1979Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Mate in 1: double attack on d3Shuffle Rating 2039Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 3: rook to f6 (f2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g5 (c1·19)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 809 →