Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 518
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
Show the solution
30...Ra1+ 31.Rc1 Rxc1#
Ponderchess / Puzzles
Back-rank mate puzzles
30 back-rank mate puzzles from real games, rated 518 to 1257. Here are 18, from easiest to hardest.
A back-rank mate is checkmate by a rook or queen on the first or last rank, against a king boxed in by its own pawns. It is one of the most common ways games end at every level.
These puzzles often need a first move that removes or deflects the last defender of the back rank, after which the rook or queen slides in for mate.
How to solve them: When the enemy king sits behind three unmoved pawns, count the defenders of its back rank. If you can attack it more times than it is defended, the mate is there.
New to the idea? Read Back-rank mate in chess first.
18 back-rank mate puzzles to solve
Solve it on the board →
White to move · 2 moves · Rating 550
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
Show the solution
26.Rd8+ Rf8 27.Rxf8#
White to move · 2 moves · Rating 567
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
Show the solution
28.Qe8+ Rxe8 29.Rxe8#
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 577
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
Show the solution
28...Qxe1+ 29.Qf1 Rxf1#
White to move · 2 moves · Rating 599
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
Show the solution
28.Qd8+ Rxd8 29.Rxd8#
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 612
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
Show the solution
23...Re1+ 24.Qf1 Rxf1#
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 634
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
Show the solution
35...Qc1+ 36.Rd1 Qxd1#
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 676
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
Show the solution
40...Qc1+ 41.Qd1 Qxd1#
White to move · 1 move · Rating 702
Find checkmate in 1 move.
Show the solution
40.Qxc8#
White to move · 1 move · Rating 715
Find checkmate in 1 move.
Show the solution
19.Rxd8#
White to move · 2 moves · Rating 741
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
Show the solution
32.Rd8+ Re8 33.Rxe8#
Black to move · 1 move · Rating 760
Find checkmate in 1 move.
Show the solution
34...Rd1#
Black to move · 3 moves · Rating 774
Find checkmate in 3 moves.
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35...Qxc2+ 36.Ka1 Qc1+ 37.Rxc1 Rxc1#
White to move · 2 moves · Rating 789
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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44.Nd7+ Ka8 45.Rc8#
White to move · 2 moves · Rating 869
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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28.Ne7+ Kh8 29.Rxf8#
White to move · 3 moves · Rating 990
Find checkmate in 3 moves.
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41.Qf7+ Kh8 42.Qf8+ Rxf8 43.Rxf8#
Black to move · 3 moves · Rating 1094
Find checkmate in 3 moves.
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17...Qf2+ 18.Kh1 Qf1+ 19.Rxf1 Rxf1#
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 1257
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
Show the solution
23...Qxe1+ 24.Rxe1 Rxe1#
Train all 30 back-rank mate puzzles in the trainer, with a rating that adapts to you →
Positions from the open Lichess puzzle database (CC0).