Mastering Mates: Book 2: 1,111 Two-move, Three-move & Four-move Mates

Mastering Mates

Book 2

1,111

Two-Move,

Three-Move &

Four-Move Mates

by

Jon Edwards

2014

Russell Enterprises, Inc.

Milford, CT USA

Mastering Mates Book 2

1,111 Two-Move, Three-Move and Four-Move Mates

by Jon Edwards

ISBN: 978-1-936490-98-1

© Copyright 2014

Jon Edwards

All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be used, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any manner or form whatsoever or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the express written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Published by:

Russell Enterprises, Inc.

P.O. Box 3131

Milford, CT 06460 USA

http://www.russell-enterprises.com

info@russell-enterprises.com

Cover design by Fierce Ponies, Brooklyn, NY

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Introduction

White to move and mate in two moves

Black to move and mate in two moves

White to move and mate in three moves

Black to move and mate in three moves

White to move and mate in four or more moves

Black to move and mate in four or more moves

Solutions

Introduction

The first book in this series presented 1,111 Checkmates in One Move. For most readers, these were relatively simple exercises that served to illustrate the many varied examples of checkmate as well as showing off the harmonious cooperation of chess pieces delivering the final blow.

This second book represents a much more serious challenge. Readers with some chess proficiency should expect to solve most of the checkmates in two moves. In evidence here are most of the famous mating combinations and checkmating patterns. All accomplished chess players are expected to know them.

Many chess books contain such puzzles, but there is much more here. I have added a full range of checkmates from real-life middlegames and endgames. These rarely conform to conventional patterns and so, readers will need to revote time to solve them. The checkmates in three, four and more moves are especially challenging. It is my expectation that with practice, readers will develop considerable tactical prowess by confronting and solving these problems.

The publisher is making available on the web the games from which I have taken these puzzles. The most dedicated of you will want to see the context of these positions. Chess combinations and mating matterns rarely appear randomly. Rather, they are carefully prepared and constructed.

I expect now to turn my attention towards what will be the most challenging book in this series, 1,111 combinations. In the hope of providing the greatest possible challenge, I am turning to combinations played in games by the world best correspondence players. These games have the merit of being lesser known while employing combinations that will impress and challenge.

Jon Edwards

Pennington, New Jersey

March 2014

White to move and mate in two moves

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61