Open in the app

Day 843: 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. Mate in 3: queen to b3 (b1)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 2: queen to b3 (a2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e6 (e3·8)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: king to e2Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: queen to a4 (c2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 2: rook to c1 (e1)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: knight to e6 (g5·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: queen to c4 (a4·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: queen to d6 (a3·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: pawn to d3 (c2·2)Shuffle Rating 1630Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Mate in 2: bishop to c4 (d5)Shuffle Rating 1816Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: queen to h8 (h7·6)Shuffle Rating 1827Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 2: discovered attack on f6 (e4)Shuffle Rating 1828Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: rook to f6 (f1·2)Shuffle Rating 1829Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 2: knight to h3 (g5·3)Shuffle Rating 1836Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: knight to d4 (c2·2)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d5·5)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: king to e2 (f2·2)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to h6 (h8)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to c4 (e3·7)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to g7 (h6·4)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to f8 (b8·2)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to f5 (c2·8)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: bishop to g6 (f5·5)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to e6 (g8)Shuffle Rating 1870Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Mate in 3: queen to f6 (e7·4)Shuffle Rating 1990Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Winning blow: pawn to f8 (f7·5)Shuffle Rating 2060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Chess960 tactic on c4Shuffle Rating 2120Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 3: knight to d4 (f3)Shuffle Rating 1950Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Mate in 2: queen to e7 (e6·4)Shuffle Rating 1670Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 844 →