Quick tips

• Look for checks last. In mate-in-two, the key move is often quiet: it takes away squares instead of checking.
• Count the escape squares. List where the black king can go; the key move covers those squares.
• Think about every reply. A key move must work against all Black's answers, not just the obvious one.
• Use your king. In endings, your king often covers the last escape squares.
• Back rank. A king stuck behind its own pawns is a classic target.