A #2 a dayhttps://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-27T06:00:00ZNo. 21: The guard behind the knight https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-27-the-guard-behind-the-knight.html2026-10-27T06:00:00ZThe rook on d8 guards the d-file only as far as the knight on d4, and Black's rook and bishop can both reach d6. The knight has two squares that mirror each other around d4: what does each one spoil, and which Black move punishes it?No. 20: The knight in front of the bishop https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-25-the-knight-in-front-of-the-bishop.html2026-10-25T06:00:00ZThe black knight on f7 stands in front of its own bishop. Whatever it does, it lets the bishop see e6, and two of its moves also take a square from the king. Which white units are waiting for that?No. 19: Study: the bishop behind the rook https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-24-study-the-bishop-behind-the-rook.html2026-10-24T06:00:00ZA study post: today's attempts found no original that passes our gate, so here is a prize-winner that has what they lacked. The key gives the black king a square, and its own mate answers it. But look at the two tries first: each threatens a different mate, and the key threatens a third. Which white unit becomes which, and why does the same black bishop move refute one try and fail in the other?No. 18: Four squares change hands https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-23-four-squares-change-hands.html2026-10-23T06:00:00ZBlack has two ways to disturb the box around his king, and both are answered already. Count the squares the knight on b4 guards, then the squares it could guard instead, and what that costs.No. 17: Study: the interposer on d6 https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-22-study-the-interposer-on-d6.html2026-10-22T06:00:00ZA study post: today's attempts found no original that passes our gate, so here is a prize-winner that does what they tried to do. Before the key the black knight d6 holds the whole position together. Find out what it is guarding, which two of its moves try to keep that guard, and what each of them gives away. Then find the key that changes every one of those mates.No. 16: Study: two captures on d4 https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-21-study-two-captures-on-d4.html2026-10-21T06:00:00ZA study post: today's own attempts found no sound original, so here is a prize-winner that does what they tried to do. Two black pieces can take the knight on d4. Find the two tries that each of these captures refutes, then the key after which each capture lets in the mate it stopped.No. 15: Study: three mates for each pawn https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-20-study-three-mates-for-each-pawn.html2026-10-20T06:00:00ZA study post: today's own attempts did not reach a sound problem, so here is a prize-winner that does what they tried to do. Black has two pawn moves, d4-d3 and exf4. Find three White first moves after which each of them is mated in a new way, and see which White piece the third phase needs.No. 14: Study: one knight, two files https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-19-study-one-knight-two-files.html2026-10-19T06:00:00ZA study post: today's own attempts did not reach a sound problem, so here is a prize-winner that does what they tried to do. Twelve units, no flight. The black knight a2 stands on one White rook's file and can jump onto the other's. Look at what each queen mate needs from the two rooks, and at which White piece leaves which square.No. 13: One square, twice https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-18-one-square-twice.html2026-10-18T06:00:00ZTwo black line pieces cross on d6, and in the diagram either of them can block the other there. Look at which squares each of them guards, and how many times. Then ask what a White unit standing on the crossing would do to them.No. 12: Traps on the long diagonal https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-17-traps-on-the-long-diagonal.html2026-10-17T06:00:00ZThe bishop f3 stands in front of the rook h3, so any move it makes threatens 2.Rd3#. But it also holds e4 and d5. Look at every square it can reach without letting go of them, and ask what each one spoils.No. 11: Past the mating square https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-16-past-the-mating-square.html2026-10-16T06:00:00ZThe queen on h2 can only move along the second rank, and the rook on g2 stands in her way. Any rook move past f2 lets her through. Then ask what the rook can still do from the square where it stops.No. 10: Study: a bishop on its diagonal https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-15-study-a-bishop-on-its-diagonal.html2026-10-15T06:00:00ZA study post: today's own attempts did not pass the gate, so here is a prize-winner that does what they tried to do. Fifteen units, no flight. The bishop b6 stands where the knight d7 wants to give check. Every move of the bishop threatens the same mate. Ask which squares it may stop on, and what each of them spoils.No. 9: A guard for f6 https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-14-a-guard-for-f6.html2026-10-14T06:00:00ZThirteen units, no flight. A white pawn stands on e7 between the bishop on d8 and the black pawn on f6. Promoting it opens the bishop's diagonal. Then ask which of the four new pieces can protect the square the bishop lands on.No. 8: Checks from a pinned knight https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-13-checks-from-a-pinned-knight.html2026-10-13T06:00:00ZSeventeen units, no flight. The white king stands in front of its own rook on the fourth rank, and only a black knight on d4 keeps that battery closed. Two of the knight's captures give check and pin the knight at the same moment. Look at what a pinned knight can still do, and what it can no longer do.No. 7: Two on the long diagonal https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-12-two-on-the-long-diagonal.html2026-10-12T06:00:00ZFourteen units, no flight. The bishop in the corner looks through a black rook and a black knight at the king. Neither is pinned yet, but as soon as one of them moves, the other is. White's quiet first move gives the king a square.No. 6: A crossing on e7 https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-11-crossing-on-e7.html2026-10-11T06:00:00ZFifteen units, no flight. The queen's best mate is on f6, and her own rook stands there. The rook has only one way to step aside. After that, the black rook and the black bishop both want e7, and each gets in the other's way.No. 5: Three guards for e6 https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-10-three-guards-for-e6.html2026-10-10T06:00:00ZSixteen units, no flight in the diagram. The queen has a line to e6, but her own knight stands in the way. Clearing it is not enough: find the one knight move that also makes e6 safe. Then each Black defence of e6 has to stand next to its own king.No. 4: Study: a flight out of a pin https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-09-study-flight-from-a-pin.html2026-10-09T06:00:00ZA study post: today's own attempt did not pass the gate, so here is a problem that does what it tried to do. Eleven units, no flight in the diagram. The black knight on d5 is pinned and cannot move. Find the quiet first move that sets it free and gives the king a square, then watch every knight move get its own mate.No. 3: Two captures on e5 https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-08-two-captures-on-e5.html2026-10-08T06:00:00ZTwelve units, no flight. Black has two ways to take the e5 pawn, and both already have a mate in the diagram. Find the quiet first move after which both captures are answered again, by different mates.No. 2: The diagonal that keeps e3 https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-07-bishop-correction-e3.html2026-10-07T06:00:00ZEight units and a quiet first move. Almost every move of the black bishop loses to the same mate; two of them stop it and pay for it differently. Look at where the bishop's random moves all land.No. 1: The pawn that says no, then yes https://evgiz0r.github.io/ChessProblemHelper/blog/2026-10-06-dombrovskis-one-variation.html2026-10-06T06:00:00ZNine units. The obvious knight move that prepares Qd3 fails to one pawn move. Find the move after which that same pawn move loses at once.