Anastasia’s mate chess puzzles
20 Anastasia’s mate puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a Anastasia’s mate in chess?
In Anastasia’s mate a knight cuts off the king’s escape squares while a rook or queen checks along the edge file, with the king trapped by its own pawn.
How to spot a Anastasia’s mate
Look for a king on h7 or h8 with a pawn on g7, and a knight that can land on e7 to cover g6 and g8. A rook or queen sliding to the h-file then mates.
Anastasia’s mate chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 21... Kxh7.
Puzzle rating 575
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Anastasia’s mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
22. Rh3#
FEN: r2q1r2/1p2N1pk/p3p3/2p5/3b4/R7/1P3PPP/2B3K1 w - - 0 22
Puzzle 2: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 30... Kxh7.
Puzzle rating 601
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Anastasia’s mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
31. Rh4#
FEN: 3r4/4Nppk/2PBp3/q2n4/1R6/P5P1/5P1P/6K1 w - - 0 31
Puzzle 3: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 29... Kxh7.
Puzzle rating 635
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Anastasia’s mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
30. Rh5#
FEN: r4r2/4Nppk/p7/1p1R4/2p2P2/Pn5P/1q2B3/5RK1 w - - 0 30
Puzzle 4: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 34... Ka6.
Puzzle rating 656
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Anastasia’s mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
35. Qa3+ Na4 36. Qxa4#
FEN: r7/p2b4/kppNpq1p/2n5/8/6Q1/PPP4P/2KR4 w - - 4 35
Puzzle 5: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 52. g4.
Puzzle rating 668
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Anastasia’s mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
52... Rh6#
FEN: 8/6k1/3r4/8/4n1PK/5R1P/B7/8 b - - 0 52
Puzzle 6: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 28... Ka7.
Puzzle rating 711
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Anastasia’s mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
29. Ra5#
FEN: 3r1r2/kp1N2pp/4p3/2R2P2/3p1B2/1q1P4/6PP/6K1 w - - 3 29
Puzzle 7: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 19. Kxh2.
Puzzle rating 723
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Anastasia’s mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
19... Rh6+ 20. Qh4 Rxh4#
FEN: 2k4r/ppp2ppp/3r4/b7/Q7/B7/P2NnPPK/R4R2 b - - 0 19
Puzzle 8: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 19. Kxh2.
Puzzle rating 848
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Anastasia’s mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
19... Rh8+ 20. Bh6 Rxh6#
FEN: 2kr4/p1p2pp1/1p2b1p1/3pN3/8/1BPPB3/PP2n1PK/RN6 b - - 0 19
Puzzle 9: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 28. Kh4.
Puzzle rating 884
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Anastasia’s mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
28... Rh8+ 29. Nh6 Rxh6#
FEN: 2k3r1/8/p7/2p2N2/N2pn1PK/7P/PP2r3/R4R2 b - - 4 28
Puzzle 10: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 35. Kxh2.
Puzzle rating 923
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Anastasia’s mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
35... Rh6+ 36. Qh5 Rxh5#
FEN: 1k6/pp3ppp/5r2/P2Q4/3p4/8/1NP1nPPK/5R2 b - - 0 35
Puzzle 11: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 21... Bxb2.
Puzzle rating 930
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Anastasia’s mate, kingside attack
Show solution
22. Ne7+ Kh7 23. Qh5#
FEN: 1r3rk1/pBpb1pp1/3pn3/3Nq1p1/4P3/8/Pb3PPP/R2Q1R1K w - - 0 22
Puzzle 12: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 27... Nd3.
Puzzle rating 954
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Anastasia’s mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
28. Ne7+ Kh7 29. Rh3#
FEN: 5rk1/p4pp1/1p6/5N2/8/3n1R2/P2r2PP/4R2K w - - 6 28
Puzzle 13: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 12... Qxg2.
Puzzle rating 1261
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Anastasia’s mate, kingside attack
Show solution
13. Ne7+ Kh7 14. Rxh5#
FEN: r1b2rk1/ppp2pp1/3p4/2bNp2n/3nP3/1B1Q4/PPPP1Pq1/R1B1K2R w KQ - 0 13
Puzzle 14: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 25. Qxc6.
Puzzle rating 1353
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Anastasia’s mate, discovered attack
Show solution
25... Ne2+ 26. Kh1 Qxh2+ 27. Kxh2 Rh5#
FEN: 6k1/p3p2p/2Q3p1/4qr2/2P1Nn2/3P4/P4PPP/5RK1 b - - 0 25
Puzzle 15: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 32... Ne8.
Puzzle rating 1395
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Anastasia’s mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
33. Rxh7+ Kxh7 34. Rh4#
FEN: r3nr1k/4Nppp/1p6/p6R/6R1/5P2/7P/7K w - - 4 33
Puzzle 16: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 20... fxg6.
Puzzle rating 1462
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Anastasia’s mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
21. Qxh7+ Kxh7 22. Rh1+ Bh3 23. Rxh3#
FEN: r1b2r1k/pp2N1pp/1bp3p1/3p3Q/2B1qB2/2K5/PPP3P1/R7 w - - 0 21
Puzzle 17: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 22. Qb5.
Puzzle rating 1504
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Anastasia’s mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
22... Qxh2+ 23. Kxh2 Rh4#
FEN: 5rk1/pB3pp1/7p/1Q2q3/3r4/8/P3nPPP/1R3R1K b - - 2 22
Puzzle 18: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 17... Qxb2.
Puzzle rating 1527
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Anastasia’s mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
18. Qxh7+ Kxh7 19. Rh3#
FEN: r1b2r1k/1p1nNppp/p3p3/3pb3/P5P1/2NQ1R2/1qP1B2P/R3K3 w Q - 0 18
Puzzle 19: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 17... c6.
Puzzle rating 1789
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, Anastasia’s mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
18. Ne7+ Kh8 19. Rxh7+ Kxh7 20. Rh1+ Bh3 21. Rxh3#
FEN: 3r1rk1/pp3ppp/2p1b3/b1nN4/2B1P3/N4PP1/PPK3P1/3R3R w - - 0 18
Puzzle 20: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 29... exd6.
Puzzle rating 2238
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, Anastasia’s mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
30. g5+ Kxg5 31. Ne6+ Kh5 32. Bf3+ Kh6 33. Rh4#
FEN: 7r/p1N4p/2Bp2pk/8/1pp2RP1/3b3P/Pb6/3K4 w - - 0 30