Daily Chess Puzzle #2: Epaulette mate, Knight fork and Interference

Three puzzles, three patterns: the epaulette mate, the knight fork and the interference. Each position below comes from a real game in the open Lichess database and is engine-verified. Set the position up, give yourself the same five seconds the video does, and only then read the solution. Best for players rated about 1000 to 2000.

Puzzle 1: Epaulette mate (beginner, rated 1037)

White to play. Black has just played rook to e8. The black king on d8 is short of squares. Can you find the checkmate?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/020XG. It was rated 1037 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Rd7+ — White: Rook to d7, check.
2. Bxd7 — Black: Bishop takes on d7.
3. Rxd7# — White: Rook takes on d7, checkmate.

Rook to d7, check. We offer the rook, and the king cannot take it, because our rook on h7 protects it. Black has no choice. Bishop takes on d7. Now, rook takes on d7, checkmate.

The pattern. An epaulette mate. The king is flanked by its own rooks, like epaulettes on a uniform, so a check from straight in front, by a queen or a rook, is the end. Your opponent’s own pieces can be the bars of the cage.

Want more like this? RankUp Chess has 5,000 rated puzzles like these, sorted by level and theme, with hints and lessons, fully offline. Pay once, no subscription.

Puzzle 2: Knight fork (intermediate, rated 1338)

White to play. Black has just played pawn to c6. Notice the black king on e8 and the black queen on f5, close together. Where can our knight land to attack both at once?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/01U4x. It was rated 1338 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Nd6+ — White: Knight to d6, check.
2. Kd7 — Black: King to d7.
3. Nxf5 — White: Knight takes on f5.

Knight to d6, check. The knight attacks the king on e8 and the queen on f5 at the same time. Black has to move the king. King to d7. And now, knight takes on f5. That wins the queen.

The pattern. We win the queen for a knight. A knight fork. One knight, one jump, two targets, and your opponent can save only one of them. Before every move, check whether your knight is a single jump from the king and another heavy piece.

Puzzle 3: Interference (advanced, rated 1931)

Black to play. White has just played bishop to e2. Notice the white king on g1 and the white queen on d1, close together. Two of White’s pieces are protecting each other. Can you find the move that cuts the line between them?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/00Yuf. It was rated 1931 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Bc2 — Black: Bishop to c2.
2. Qa1 — White: Queen to a1.
3. Bxa4 — Black: Bishop takes on a4.

Bishop to c2. The bishop attacks the queen on d1 and the knight on a4 at the same time. White defends with queen to a1. Bishop takes on a4. That wins the knight.

The pattern. We come out a piece ahead. Interference. We put a piece between two enemy pieces that were protecting each other, and the connection is cut. When two defenders share a line, look for the move that gets in between them.

One puzzle at a time

Each puzzle is also a 60-second Short if you want to try one on the phone:

• Epaulette mate that 1000s miss
• Knight fork that 1300s miss
• Interference that 1900s miss

Sources and disclosure

Puzzles 020XG, 01U4x, 00Yuf from the Lichess open puzzle database (CC0). New puzzles every day on the RankUp Chess channel and on our videos page.