Learn How to Spot Mate in 1: Corner Mate
This middlegame puzzle comes from the Sicilian Defense, Wing Gambit, where king safety matters more than material. White is down material, but the black king is exposed and boxed in by its own pieces and pawns. In positions like this, a single forcing move can override static disadvantages. The key idea is to look for direct checks that exploit weak back-rank and corner squares, especially when the opponent’s king has limited escape squares and defenders are overloaded.