Day 92: 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 Winning blow

Warm-up

1. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b5 (c4·17)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d5 (b4)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b4 (a3·7)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d4 (c3·18)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (g4·9)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d3 (d2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g6 (h5·9)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

8. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c4 (c1)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

9. Winning blow: knight to f6Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h3 (g2·11)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: queen to c4 (e2·2)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

12. Winning blow: queen to d5 (h1·3)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

13. Winning blow: bishop to h5 (f3)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

14. Winning blow: pawn to a7Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

15. Mate in 2: pawn to g4Shuffle Rating 922 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

16. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·48)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

17. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f3 (g2·2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

18. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g4 (h3·8)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

19. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h8 (g7)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

20. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e6 (f5·11)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d4 (d1·2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

22. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c6 (d5·19)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e4 (f3·2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

24. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c2 (d1·2)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e4 (h1)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: bishop to f2 (g1)Shuffle Rating 920 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

27. Fork: knight to d3 (c5)Shuffle Rating 972 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

28. Mate in 2: rook to e3Shuffle Rating 1009 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 1: knight to g3 (h5)Shuffle Rating 923 Analysis

Black to move — find the best continuation

30. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b6 (a5·8)Shuffle Rating 780 Analysis

White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 93 →