Material Choose the correct capture: A

3
b r
4 b5
3 q 46
r k z
k
6 r
4 p
1 n1
2 p3b1p
p
1 p
1 p
1 3
B p
1
p 2
1 N p1
1 p
p1
1 P
B
3 1 2
P N
P3
1 b R1
4 P P1
1 P1P3
B5Q1P1P1P
K
6 R
4 R 6
4 K

Q
5 4
r r6
4 k
p
1 r
4 p6
1 k p4
1 R4
r 16
p k1p p1
1 p 1
p
n1
2 p3b p
1 p3
1 b
r
4 p
1 P1
1 p1p3B2n
P
1 q
5
1
P P2
1 N 1 P P
1
P1
1 P1P B
3 P6
1 K P1
1 P 5Q3B 1 P1P
K
6 R
4 R6
4 K

r5
4 q 6
k 46
r k z 4
r 6
k
p
1 b1
3 p1
p1p p
1 p
1 p 1
1 p p1
1 p n
2 p1
1 p1p
p
1 b3
3 B1p p
1 p 3
1 b
p1
1 P 1
p N
2
n
2 3
B P1
1 p N1
2 P P1
1 P
P5
1 Q P2
1 N R
4 P
1 P
1 2
N
P1
1 P1P P
1 P1
1 P P
1 q3
5 B1
P1P1P
R
4 K
6 K
6 R
4 K
6

4
r 5 4
q r6k z 4
r 46
r k z
p1
1 p b1
3 p1
p3B1p 1
p 3 6
b k 1 p1p p1
1 p p1
1 p1p
p 2
1 n1p q
5 p1
1 p 1 p3b 1
p n
2
r
4 p
1 P
1 P
1 q
5
n1
2 P P
1 P 1
1 P P2
1 n
2
N N
2 N
2 N5
2 Q4
R2N
P1
1 P1
P5Q3
B1P1P1P P1
1 P5Q P
1 P1
1 P1P
R
4 R6
4 K K
6 R
4 R
4 K
6

5
Defending Moving away: A
6
k 4
R 4
r r6
4 k
R
4 p6
1 k1p P
1 p1
1 p P
1 P
1 p
1
p
1 b
3 p
1

Q
5
1
p P
1
p
1 P1
1 P1P P5
1 q P1
1 P P
1 K
6
r4
4 R K
6 K
6

3
B b6
3 kz 4
r r
4 6
k
p
1 p1
1 p p
1 p
1 R
4 p
1
P
1 b1
3 p 1
p p
1 p
1 p
1
k
6 P1
1 p p
1 R
4
K
6 q
5 1
P
P 5
1 Q P
1 P
1 P
1 11
p P
P 3
1 B P
1 P
1 P
1 P
1
K
6 K
6

6
k r
4 r
4 r6
4 k k
6
p1
1 p p
1 p
1 B
3
b
3 R1
4 p
B
3 P
1
P
1 Q
5 P1
1 p
P
1 P
1 P3
1 b
P
1 P1
1 P P 1
1 P K
6 31
B p
r
4 R 6
4 K R6
4 K b
3

r
4 r
4 z
k
6 B1
3 p R
4
R
4 p
1 P
1 P
1 1
p 6
k
b
3 p
1 P
1 p
1
1
p 1
p
P
1 B
3 1
P k1
6 P P1
1 p
K1
6 P P
1 b
3 P4
1 r P1
1 P
R
4 K
6 K
6

11
Mate Mate in one (find as many as possible): B
4
r 4
r 42
r n3b 5 q 4
r z
p1
1 p n
2 p1
1 p1p1p p
1 p
1 6
k
b 1
3 p5Q k
6 p
11
p b
3
p 1
1 p1p P
1 P1
1 p
q1
5 P P5
1 Q P1
1 P 1 P1p 5
Q
N1
2 P k1
6 P N
2 N
2 p
1 q
5
P1
1 P1
P P
1 P 1
1 P 11
P P R
4 K
6
R
4 R 6
4 K R
4 K
6 B
3 r
4
3x 3x 3x

4
r r
4 k
6 r
4 32
b n4r
p1
1 p 5 q1p1p3b n1
2 p p
1 q
5 p
1 Q 1
5 p
k 3
6 b2n1p1p 5
Q p
1 p3
1 B 1p
N 1
2 p R
4
P5
1 Q 3 B1P N
2 P3
1 B p6
1 k3
B
P
1 N 1
2 P
P 3
1 B1P1P 11
P P4
r q
5 11
P P 11
P P P1
1 P1
P
R
4 R6
4 K R
4 K
6 N
2 K
6 R
4
3x 4x 3x

z 4
r b
3 r
4 r
4 3
b Q
5
p
1 p
1 2
n p1
1 p6k
6
k p
1 q1
5 p Q
5 n 1
2 p B4
3 R
P
1 P
1 P 1
1 P1p
K
6 N1
2 P k
6 p 1
1 P 2 N 1 P
q
5 1
p P
1 P1
1 P
q
5 P
1 P
1 B
3 P
1
K
6 K
6 R
4
4x 3x 4x

4
r q
5 r
4 r
4 q6
5 k 4z
r 25
N Q 3 4
b r
p1
1 p1
p3b3b3
B4R b1
3 p p
1 6
k p1
1 p1
p
n
2 p
1 3
b p
1 p
1 p
1
p 6
1 K
P
1 6
k P1
1 p 2 n 1 P P3
1 B n
2
p
1 P
1 4
R
P1
1 P1
P5Q P
1 P 1
1 P P
1 P
1 P1
1 P6
K1P
K
6 R2
4 N3B5Q 3 B2N4
R q
5
3x 3x 3x

18 Step 1 plus
Route planner Give a safe check (in 3 moves): A
k
6

3
B
n
2 b2
3 n n6
2 k B
3

r
4

B
3 k
6
n3
2 B
n
2 n
2
n
2 n
2 k
6 n
2

B
3
b
3 r
4 k
6

r
4 6
k
q
5 n
2
n
2
k
6 k
6 B2
3 n
n
2
n3
2 B
B
3

r
4 3
B
n
2
B
3 q
5
B1
3 p q
5 r
4 k
6
p
1
k
6 n
2 k
6 n
2

25
Defending against mate

You have probably already suffered from a sudden mate. In this reminder we shall take a look at what
you can do against a mating threat. Always look for the best way to defend.
● protect ● capture ● move away ● interpose

k
6 k
6 k
6
p
1 1
p 1
p 1
p
P1
1 p p1
1 P1p p
1 p1
1 P3b
r
4 P
1

R6
4 K K
6
r
4 R
4 r
4 P
1
R
4 K
6
Protect Protect Capture
White is threatening mate Here 1. ... Kh8-g8 2. Don’t move the king!
with Rf3-f8#. Fortunately Rb2-b8+ does not make 1. ... Kh8-g8 2. Rc1-c8#.
Black can protect f8 with the sense. The rook must protect Instead, you win with the
king: 1. ... Kh8-g8. the back rank: 1. ... Re5-e8. simple: 1. ... Bh6xc1.

6
k k
6 6
k
p
1 p
1 1
p p1
1 p
P1
1 p p
1 r1
4 P1p p
1 P
1
n
2

P
1 K
6 3
B P6
1 K P
1 K
6
r
4 P
1 r
4
R
4 R
4 R
4
Move away Escape square + move away Escape square + move away
The threat is Rc1-c8#. The The king is under pressure. It 1. ... h7xg6 makes an airhole
king must go to f8. It will can only move away to h7 for Black and also captures
escape via e7. after playing 1. ... Rf6xg6. an attacking piece.

6
k k
6 k
6
p1
1 p 1
p 1
p 1
p
p
1 p
1 p1
1 P1p p
1 p
1 P1
1 p
B
3 r 1
4 P p
1 P
1
P
1
P
1 K
6
r
4 1
P b
3 r
4
R
4 K4
6 R K4
6 R
Escape square + move away Interpose Interpose
Choose the correct escape Black can defend against the Here, interposing with 1. ...
square: 1. ... g7-g6. mate on b8 by interposing his Be2-b5 costs points.
1. .... h7-h6 would be silly: 2. rook with 1. ... Rf5-b5. That is not as bad as being
Bh5-g6, and Black is mated. mated!

32 Step 1 plus