Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 518
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
Show the solution
30...Ra1+ 31.Rc1 Rxc1#
Ponderchess / Puzzles
Mate in 2 puzzles
213 mate in 2 puzzles from real games, rated 518 to 2324. Here are 18, from easiest to hardest.
In these puzzles you force checkmate with your second move, whatever your opponent does in between. The first move is usually forcing: a check, a capture or a sacrifice that drags a defender away or takes the king's last escape square.
Mate in two is where calculation starts. You have to see your opponent's best reply, not the one you hope for, and make sure the mate works against every defence.
How to solve them: Start with checks, then captures, then threats. After each candidate, find all of your opponent's legal replies and check that every one still allows mate.
New to the idea? Read Smothered mate in chess first.
18 mate in 2 puzzles to solve
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White to move · 2 moves · Rating 581
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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40.Rxg8+ Re8 41.Rxe8#
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 601
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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39...Rf1+ 40.Rf2 Rxf2#
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 676
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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40...Qc1+ 41.Qd1 Qxd1#
White to move · 2 moves · Rating 771
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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28.Qxe8+ Bf8 29.Qxf8#
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 839
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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40...Re1+ 41.Kh2 Rh1#
White to move · 2 moves · Rating 882
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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23.Be6+ Kb8 24.Rd8#
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 946
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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32...Qa1+ 33.Qe1 Rxe1#
White to move · 2 moves · Rating 1013
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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18.Nxf6+ Kg7 19.Qxh7#
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 1099
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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32...Qf2+ 33.Kh2 Qxg2#
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 1167
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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25...Qf1+ 26.Rxf1 Rxf1#
White to move · 2 moves · Rating 1262
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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41.Qd6+ Ke8 42.Qe7#
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 1382
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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37...Qxa3+ 38.Kb1 Qxb2#
White to move · 2 moves · Rating 1504
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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25.Bf5+ Rd7 26.Qa8#
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 1648
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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40...Bd1+ 41.Ka3 Ra4#
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 1782
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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23...Qf4+ 24.Nxf4 exf4#
White to move · 2 moves · Rating 1896
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
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22.Nh6+ gxh6 23.Qxh7#
White to move · 2 moves · Rating 2324
Find checkmate in 2 moves.
Show the solution
40.Nh7+ Kf5 41.Rxc5#
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Positions from the open Lichess puzzle database (CC0).