Step by Step: Mate #62
By Mark Donlan
Step by Step: Mate is designed to test and improve your visualization skills. The premise is simple, try solving for mate from the first diagram. For best results, set the position up on the board and think for as long as you need without moving the pieces. If you are unable to solve for mate, refer to the diagrams below in which you can solve Step by Step for mate in one, mate in two, etc. Also, be sure to subscribe to our Daily Chess Puzzle email.
You can also print out this page and use it as a workbook exercise in a classroom setting. Spaces are provided for answers to be written; occasionally there will be positions that allow for two similar moves from the defender.
Solve for Black to Mate
[FEN “1k5r/pp6/1qp1K3/4P1Qp/5P2/P1Pb1P2/3r3P/2R4R b – – 0 36”]
Black mates in one
[FEN “1k4r1/pp1r2QK/1q6/2p1P2p/2b2P2/P1P2P2/7P/2R4R b – – 0 40”]
1)__________ __________
Black mates in two
[FEN “1k4r1/pp5K/1q6/2p1P1Qp/2b2P2/P1P2P2/3r3P/2R4R b – – 0 39”]
1)__________ __________
2)__________ __________
Black mates in three
[FEN “1k5r/pp4K1/1q6/2p1P1Qp/2b2P2/P1P2P2/3r3P/2R4R b – – 0 38”]
1)__________ __________
2)__________ __________
3)__________ __________
Black mates in four
[FEN “1k5r/pp3K2/1q6/2p1P1Qp/5P2/P1Pb1P2/3r3P/2R4R b – – 0 37”]
1)__________ __________
2)__________ __________
3)__________ __________
4)__________ __________
Black mates in five
[FEN “1k5r/pp6/1qp1K3/4P1Qp/5P2/P1Pb1P2/3r3P/2R4R b – – 0 36”]
1)__________ __________
2)__________ __________
3)__________ __________
4)__________ __________
5)__________ __________
Pillsbury,Harry Nelson – Chigorin,Mikhail
St Petersburg (4.2), 09.01.1896
Queen’s Gambit, Chigorin Defense [D07]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.cxd5 Bxf3 5.dxc6 Bxc6 6.Nc3 e6 7.e4 Bb4 8.f3 f5 9.e5 Ne7 10.a3 Ba5 11.Bc4 Bd5 12.Qa4+ c6 13.Bd3 Qb6 14.Bc2 Qa6 15.Bd1 Bc4 16.f4 0-0-0 17.Be3 Nd5 18.Bd2 Nb6 19.Qc2 Rxd4 20.Rc1 Bd3 21.Qb3 Nc4 22.Kf2 Nxd2 23.Qxe6+ Kb8 24.Bf3 Qb6 25.Kg3 Nxf3 26.gxf3 Bc4 27.Qxf5 Bxc3 28.bxc3 Rd2 29.Qh3 g6 30.Kh4 h6 31.Qg4 Qf2+ 32.Qg3 g5+ 33.Kg4 h5+ 34.Kf5 Bd3+ 35.Ke6 Qb6 36.Qxg5 c5+ 37.Kf7 Bc4+ 38.Kg7 Rg8+ 0-1 [38…Rg8+ 39.Kh7 Rd7+ 40.Qg7 Rdxg7#]
A PDF file of this week’s Step by Step puzzle, along with all previous puzzles, is available in the ChessCafe.com Archives.
© 2014 Mark Donlan & ChessEdu.org. All Rights Reserved.
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