Complete Kill Methods

What this book teaches

1,348 basic mating problems, grouped by attacking pieces — single horse, chariot + cannon, chariot + horse + cannon…

Checks need not be continuous. Some mates are checks, some are quiet moves, some leave the opponent with no legal move.

Study this first: learn the shapes, then train deep calculation.

What you will get

• Spot named patterns in real games (smothered cannon, horse-cannon, stacked cannons, two chariots…)
• Know how each piece combo can mate
• Know when to check — and when a quiet move is the mate

Step 1 — Name the shape

The chapter already tells you which pieces you have. Ask:

① Which pattern is this close to? (smothered cannon, horse-cannon, locking the king’s door…) ② Which squares can the king still run to? ③ Can advisors, elephants, or other pieces still break the shape?

See the shape before you calculate a move.

Step 2 — Check or quiet move?

Don’t assume you must check. Ask:

① Does checking now mate? How do they defend? ② Is there a quiet move that locks a flight square, blocks a rescue, or leaves them no move? ③ How do this chapter’s pieces fit — chariot opens, horse locks, cannon finishes?

No shape yet — go back to Step 1. Don’t guess.

What order to study?

The chapter list is not easy-to-hard. Study by how many pieces attack:

• Few pieces — single pawn/cannon, single horse, cannon + pawn, horse + pawn, double cannons, double horses, horse + cannon
• With a chariot — chariot + pawn, chariot + cannon, chariot + horse
• Main part — chariot + horse + cannon, then other three-piece chapters
• Last — double chariots, other patterns, game examples

In each chapter: learn a few patterns. You need not finish every problem.

Three things when you solve

1. Play it yourself in Solve. Open Study only when truly stuck 2. When done, name the pattern — remember the shape, not the squares 3. Review will bring the problem back later

You need not finish all 1,348. A few, thought through, that you remember.