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Day 969: Mate in 4+

Lesson of the day

Mate in four or longer is a marathon of forcing moves where the grip must never loosen. The tools are the same: checks, double threats and sacrifices that deny the opponent a single free tempo. Do not juggle the whole tree at once — walk the main line all the way to mate first, then verify the side branches. If somewhere the defender finds one quiet move that holds, your very first move was wrong.

Warm-up

1. Win the hanging king on f6Shuffle Rating 2208Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Pin: rook to f2 (f1)Shuffle Rating 2216Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Rescue the pawn to b6Shuffle Rating 2222Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Pin: queen to g6 (h5)Shuffle Rating 2227Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Rescue the pawn to e4 (d3)Shuffle Rating 2238Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to g7 (f7·3)Shuffle Rating 2240Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Fork: queen to b6 (d8·2)Shuffle Rating 2243Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: bishop to e5 (f6·4)Shuffle Rating 2200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: rook to e8 (e7·7)Shuffle Rating 2208Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: rook to d7 (e7·3)Shuffle Rating 2210Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Chess960 tactic on c8 (c7·2)Shuffle Rating 2250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Chess960 tactic on e7 (f5)Shuffle Rating 2250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Chess960 tactic on h6 (f5)Shuffle Rating 2250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g8 (g3·5)Shuffle Rating 2250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Chess960 tactic on g5 (e4·2)Shuffle Rating 2250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: queen to h7 (d7·2)Shuffle Rating 2210Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: rook to b7 (c7·6)Shuffle Rating 2210Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: bishop to b7 (h1)Shuffle Rating 2210Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: queen to b4 (c3)Shuffle Rating 2210Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: rook to c5 (d5)Shuffle Rating 2210Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: discovered attack on b6Shuffle Rating 2225Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: double attack on b3Shuffle Rating 2231Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to h4 (e4)Shuffle Rating 2234Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: pin on h8 (b8)Shuffle Rating 2234Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: discovered attack on c3Shuffle Rating 2249Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Fork: rook to f7Shuffle Rating 2260Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Chess960 tactic on g5 (d2)Shuffle Rating 2310Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Fork: pawn to d5 (e4·2)Shuffle Rating 2370Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Pin: queen to a1Shuffle Rating 2206Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
30. Chess960 tactic on d8 (c8)Shuffle Rating 2250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 970 →