Hi Puzzlers,
below is a compilation of mate in 2 problems, some of which are wquite tricky
and its easy to thingk you've soldved the mate wehnsometimes the side being
mated can find an extra move and its no longer a mate in 2 and you havent
solved the puzzle!
The solutions are placed under the problem setup so you'll have to be careful
how you view the file otherwise you'll spoil the problem for yourself.
Lary Evans Problems from 13 to 31 - mates in 2 originally compiled on the
blind-chess group
Problem 13:
r1b2k1r/
1p2bppp/
p1B2q2/
8/
8/
8/
PPPQ1P1P/
2KRR3
Points 3
White to mate in two.
Solution:
1. Qd8+ Bxd8
2. Re8#
Principle:
The King is in a classic back rank mate position where a Queen or Rook on the
back rank can mate him. Square e8 is good as it is protected by the Bishop.
Always looking at every check or capture in order to limit Black's possible
responses, White comes up with an always flashy Queen sacrifice! The Queen
checks at d8 forcing the Bishop to capture opening up the door for the Rook to
mate.
Problem 14:
1r1n1rk1/
ppq2p2/
2b2bp1/
2pB3p/
2P4P/
4P3/
PBQ2PP1/
1R3RK1
Points 3
White to mate in two.
Solution:
1. Qxg6+ Kh8
2. Bxf6#
if
1... Bg7
2. Qxg7#
Principle:
First, look at every check or capture. And here realize that since the F-Pawn
is pinned, the Pawn does not protect the G-Pawn. So White captures the G-Pawn
checking the Black King. The King is either forced to the corner or the Bishop
can interpose, both fail.
Problem 15:
r2q1rk1/
1b2bp2/
ppn1p1p1/
3P2Np/
2P4Q/
P2B4/
1B3PPP/
R4RK1
Points 3
White to mate in two.
Solution:
1. Qxh5
if 1... gxh5
2. Bh7#
if 1... Bxg5
2. Qh8#
if 1... Re8 to give a flight square
2. Qh8#
anything else
2. Qh7#
Principle:
Black may feel relatively safe behind his King side Pawn chain, but White has a
good deal of force concentrated on the King side attack. White's Bishop at b2
prevents the Black King from moving to the corner and all other flight squares
are occupied. So the King's position is cramped. Looking at all checks and
captures White takes the h-Pawn and threatens mate at h8. Black is toast since
taking the Queen opens a mate by the Bishop at d3 and doing anything else lets
the Queen into the cramped corner.
Problem 16:
r1bk2nr/
p2p1pNp/
n2B4/
1p1NP2P/
6P1/
3P1Q2/
P1P1KP2/
q5b1
Points 3
White to mate in two.
Solution:
1. Qf6+ Nxf6
2. Be7#
Principle:
The Black King is not in check, but cannot move because the White Knights cover
all his flight squares. So if White can check him he is toast! Looking at all
available checks and captures, White notices that he can check Black along the
black diagonal leading away from the King along e7 and f6, but those squares
are garded by the Knight. The Black Knight is overworked and must be lured
away. If you try 1. Be7+ Black takes the Bishop, which you can pin with your
Queen. But if you play the Queen first the Knight is distracted and the Bishop
moves to e7 for the mate.
Problem 17:
1r1k3r/
2pb1pp1/
3p1P2/
p4PBp/
P2p2P1/
1qNP3P/
4Q3/
2KR3R
Points 3
Black mates in two.
Solution:
1... Qa3+
2. Kd2 Qxc3#
Principle:
Black has a strong position with both Rook and Queen on the open B-File, but
the White Queen gards b2 and the Knight gards b1, preventing mate on the move.
Further the Queen protects the Knight. So once again looking at checks Black
sees that checcking the White King at a3 forces him to move to the second rank
blocking the Queen's protection.
Problem 18:
R6R/
1r3pp1/
6k1/
3pPp1p/
1r1pq1P1/
7P/
1P1Q3K/
8
Points 3
White mates in two.
Solution:
1. Qh6+ gxh6
2. Rag8#
Principle:
The Black King is unable to move right or left and if the Pawn at g7 were gone
the White Rook at a8 could mate Black at g8. So how does White move the g7
Pawn? Again, we look at forcing moves like checks or captures, which limit
Black's responses. So if White checks with his Queen, Black is forced to
capture with the Pawn and the Rook finishes the game.
Problem 19:
r3r1k1/
ppp1bpp1/
2bp3p/
4Pp2/
3BnP2/
3B3P/
PPP4P/
R2Q1R1K
Points 3
Black to mate in two.
Solution:
1... Nf2+
2. Kg1 Nxh3#
Principle:
First, notice that the White King and the Black Bishop and Knight all sit along
the same diagonal. That is a good position for a discovered attack from the
Bishop. Second notice that the Black Knight, the White King and the White
Queen all sit on squares of the same color suggesting a Knight fork is
possible. So at the very least Black can fork the king and Queen winning the
queen. But if you look further, you see the King is restricted and after the
Knight fork, Black can win instead of taking the Queen.
Problem 20 revised:
1r3rk1/
pp4pp/
2p3n1/
3p2N1/
2P2PK1/
3B2P1/
PP5q/
R1BQ1R2
Points 4
Black mates in two.
Solution:
1... Ne5+
2. fxe5 h5#
Principle:
The White King is once again boxed in and mostly unable to move. If Black can
remove the Pawn at f4, the King would be even more restricted, but a Rook
protects that Pawn. So Black removes the Pawn by checking the King forcing the
Pawn to capture and once completely trapped the H-Pawn administers the Coup De
Grace.
Problem 21:
7k/
1bpp2p1/
3bp3/
p4B2/
2P5/
P3BrPq/
1PQ2P1P/
4RRK1
Points 4
Black mates in two.
Solution:
1... Qg2+
2. Kxg2 Rxg3#
Principle:
Earlier in this game, either Black induced White to move the G-Pawn or White
foolishly moved it from in front of the castled King. Now White has two holes
in his King's defense at f3 and h3, which Black has been happy to use as
perches for his heavy pieces the Queen and a Rook. In addition the Black
Bishop pair bare down on the Kingside dcorner. So Black begins by luring the
White King forward by a Queen sacrifice check at g2 and then mates with the
Rook at g3. Note moving the Rook discovers a check by the Bishop and the Rook
now at g3 is protected by the other Bishop.
Problem 22:
r4rk1/
ppp1qpp1/
1bnp1P1p/
6NQ/
2BPP1b1/
4n3/
PP4PP/
RN3RK1
Points 4
White mates in two.
Solution:
1. Qg6
if 1... Bf5 to block Qh7
2. Qxg7#
if 1... Qxf6 to block Qxg7
2. Qh7#
Principle:
If you examine lines leading away from the Black King you will see the F-Pawn
is pinned and unable to move. White can thus move his Queen to g6 since there
is a hole again in the Pawns in front of the castled King caused by a pin this
time. That presents Black with a double threat, which Black cannot defend. A
double attack is a key to most combinations as the defender in a successful
double attack can only defend against one threat.
Problem 23:
3r2rk/
pp4pp/
2npp3/
2p3Nq/
4QP2/
P7/
1BP4P/
3R2K1
Points 4
White mates in two.
Solution:
1. Qxh7+ Qxh7
2. Nf7#
Principle:
Since White has a Knight past his fourth rank, he is alert to possible Knight
fork opportunities. The White Knight, Black King and Rook are all on dark
squares and f7 is the forking square. The fork is a smothered mate right now,
but at least it will win the Rook. But f4 is protected by the Queen. So White
must lure the Queen away. Looking at every check or capture in order to force
the move and limit Black's response, White takes the h7 Pawn with the Queen
dramaticly forcing it!
Problem 24:
2r5/
k4p2/
p3p1p1/
1p1pP2p/
3P1P1P/
bP3QP1/
P7/
KNrN4
Points 4
Black mates in two.
Solution:
1... Rxb1+
2. Kxb1 Rc1#
Principle:
This seems simple, White is trapped in the corner and his Knight is pinned by
the Black Rook. The Bishop can check at b2, but the other Knight protects that
square. So what is the correct approach? Violence, Black simply takes the
pinned Knight forcing the King to b1 where he is mated by the other Rook.
Problem 25:
3qr1k1/
pbr1bp1p/
1pn1p1pB/
8/
2BP1QN1/
2P3P1/
P4P1P/
2R1R1K1
Points 4
White mates in two.
Solution:
1. Qxf7+ Kxf7
2. Bxe6#
Principle:
The original version of this problem did not work because the Knight at g4 was
missing and the King had a flight square. Now I think it works, but I am not
certain. White lures the Black King to f7 by sacrificing the Queen where he is
mated by the Bishop. The Rook protects the Bishop and the Knight at g4 blocks
the f6 flight square.
Problem 26:
r2r2k1/
p2nqp2/
2b1p2P/
4B3/
2p5/
3B4/
PPP2P1P/
2KR4
Points 4
White mates in two.
Solution:
1. h7+ Kf8
2 h8=Q#
Principle:
Notice first that the White Bishops control the corner where the Black King is
hiding. Looking at every check or capture notice that if the passed White Pawn
advances checking the King, the Pawn is protected by the Bishop forcing the
King away from the corner. Then the Pawn is crowned and the game is over.
Problem 27:
4r1k1/
2pq3n/
ppbp1pNQ/
5P2/
2P4P/
P3r1R1/
6PK/
8
Points 4
White mates in two.
Solution:
1. Ne7+ Kh8 or Kf7
2. Qg7#
Principle:
Notice that the White Rook, white Knight and the Black King are aligned along
the same file. That is an ideal situation for a discovered attack. First,
White notices that his Knight and the Black Queen are on the same color square,
so a fork of the Queen is possible. Indeed moving the Knight to e5 discovers a
check via Rook and attacks the Queen. But there is an even better attack. If
the Knight moves to e7 discovering the same check, the White Knight blocks the
Black Queen's defense of the mate threat at g7 via the White Queen. Remember
in chess it is legal to kick your opponent when he is down!
Problem 28:
r1b3nr/
ppp3qp/
1bnpk3/
4p1BQ/
3PP3/
2P5/
PP3PPP/
RN3RK1
Points 4
White to mate in two.
Solution:
1. Qe8+ followed by interpose with a Knight
2. d5#
Principle:
Looking at every check and capture, White has two interesting checks. The
D-Pawn can check at d5, but the King has a flight square at d7. The Queen can
check at e8, but Black can block with one of his Knights. But the Queen check
also closes the flight square for the Pawn check! So the order in which you
move is important.
Problem 29:
2r1nr2/
p3qp1k/
1p2p1p1/
nP1bR3/
8/
P2B4/
1BP2PPP/
3R2K1
Points 4
White mates in two.
Solution:
1. Rh5+ Kg8 (forced)
2. Rh8#
Principle:
First, notice that even though White has lost his Queen the Bishop pair
bearing down on the corner where the Black King is hiding is very powerful.
The Bishop at d3 pins the Black G-Pawn and the other Bishop controls the long
black diagonal. Since the Black G-Pawn is pinned the Rook can check at h5
driving the King back to where he can be mated by the Rook at h8.
Problem 30:
rnbk1b1r/
pp3ppp/
2p5/
4q3/
4n3/
8/
PPPB1PPP/
2KR1BNR
Points 4
White mates in two.
Solution:
1. Bg5+
if 1... Ke8
2. Rd8#
if 1... Kc7
2. Bd8#
Principle:
Although again without his Queen White is in good shape in this problem. Since
his Rook and Bishop are aligned along the open D-File a discovered attack is in
the cards. Even though both the Black Queen and Knight attack g5 making it
appear unsafe for the Bishop, the double check by Rook and Bishop prevent Black
from both taking the Bishop and blocking along the D-File. The Black King has
only two flight squares and neither really works!
Problem 31:
r3rk2/
4bppB/
p7/
1p1qN2Q/
1n6/
8/
1B3PPP/
2RR2K1
Points 4
White to mate in two.
Solution:
1. Rxd5 g6
2. Qh6#
or
1. Qxf7+ Qxf7
2. Nd7#
Principle:
The Black King is in a cramped position and is ripe for a smothered mate. The
F-Pawn is attacked twice and defended by Queen and King, but the King is a poor
defender while so many heavy pieces are still out. Happily for White, he has
two approaches. He can remove a guard by taking the Queen or he can distract
the guard by sacrificing his own Queen.
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