Arabian mate chess puzzles
20 Arabian mate puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a Arabian mate in chess?
The Arabian mate is a rook and knight working together against a king in the corner: the rook gives check next to the king and the knight both protects the rook and covers the escape square.
How to spot a Arabian mate
Look for an enemy king on h8 (or another corner) and a knight that can reach f6 or a square that guards g8 and the rook’s checking square.
Arabian mate chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 34... Rxf7.
Puzzle rating 518
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Arabian mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
35. Rg8#
FEN: 7k/5r2/4pN1p/8/8/1P4RP/1P4PK/4r3 w - - 0 35
Puzzle 2: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 38. Ka1.
Puzzle rating 585
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Arabian mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
38... Ra2#
FEN: 8/8/1p2k3/p1p1P3/8/PPn5/6r1/K1B1R3 b - - 6 38
Puzzle 3: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 45... Kh8.
Puzzle rating 616
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Arabian mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
46. Rxh7#
FEN: 2r4k/1R5p/2n2Np1/8/4K3/P3PP1b/7B/b7 w - - 10 46
Puzzle 4: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 38... Rxf7.
Puzzle rating 627
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Arabian mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
39. Rxg8#
FEN: 3R2bk/p4r2/5N1p/8/5P2/1P5P/r5P1/7K w - - 0 39
Puzzle 5: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 38... Kh8.
Puzzle rating 666
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Arabian mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
39. Re8+ Rg8 40. Rxg8#
FEN: 7k/6r1/2p2N2/2K5/7p/8/1rP1R3/8 w - - 2 39
Puzzle 6: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 19... Nd5.
Puzzle rating 672
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Arabian mate, kingside attack
Show solution
20. Rxh7#
FEN: r2r3k/1bp2pnp/p2bpNp1/1p1n4/3P1P1R/2PBB3/PP1N3P/2K3R1 w - - 12 20
Puzzle 7: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 31. Re3.
Puzzle rating 728
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Arabian mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
31... Rxh2#
FEN: 8/pp3k2/7P/2P5/8/4Rn1r/PP3P1P/7K b - - 2 31
Puzzle 8: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 23. Rc1.
Puzzle rating 791
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Arabian mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
23... Ra2#
FEN: 7r/p2k1ppp/3Pp3/3p4/3N2PP/P1nPP3/5r2/K1R4R b - - 2 23
Puzzle 9: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 44. Rxd6.
Puzzle rating 887
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Arabian mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
44... Nf3+ 45. Kh1 Rh2#
FEN: 8/6k1/3R4/3P4/8/8/Pr1n4/5BK1 b - - 0 44
Puzzle 10: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 43. Ka2.
Puzzle rating 891
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Arabian mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
43... Nc3+ 44. Ka1 Rb1#
FEN: 8/pp4pp/2k2p2/1r1n4/3R1P2/P6P/K1PR4/8 b - - 5 43
Puzzle 11: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 61... h3.
Puzzle rating 962
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Arabian mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
62. Nf3+ Kh1 63. Rg1#
FEN: 3r4/8/6p1/3pKbR1/p2N4/2P4p/7k/8 w - - 0 62
Puzzle 12: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 27. Rd3.
Puzzle rating 1010
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Arabian mate, kingside attack
Show solution
27... Qxh2+ 28. Rxh2 Rxh2#
FEN: 8/1p2pp1k/p2p3p/2p4p/4P2r/2PR1n1q/PP3PRN/5Q1K b - - 4 27
Puzzle 13: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 48. Kh8.
Puzzle rating 1080
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Arabian mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
48... Rd8+ 49. g8=Q Rxg8#
FEN: 7K/1pkr2P1/5n2/p1P2p2/3P3P/4P3/5P2/7R b - - 2 48
Puzzle 14: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 40... Kh8.
Puzzle rating 1157
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Arabian mate, sacrifice
Show solution
41. Qxh7+ Rxh7 42. Rxh7#
FEN: 4r2k/2pbr2p/1p1p1Np1/pP1P4/P1Pq1pPQ/3p1P2/6K1/7R w - - 6 41
Puzzle 15: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 24... Nf5.
Puzzle rating 1354
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Arabian mate, discovered attack
Show solution
25. Nf6+ Nxh6 26. Rxh6+ Rh7 27. Rxh7#
FEN: 1r5k/1b4rN/1p1p2pQ/p2Ppn2/2q1p3/P6R/1PP2PPP/3R2K1 w - - 1 25
Puzzle 16: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 45. Ka1.
Puzzle rating 1372
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Arabian mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
45... Ra2#
FEN: 7k/pp2PR1B/7p/3p4/P2P4/2n1nN2/6rP/K7 b - - 4 45
Puzzle 17: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 25. Qf1.
Puzzle rating 1726
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Arabian mate, exposed king
Show solution
25... Nxf3+ 26. Kh1 Qxh2+ 27. Rxh2 Rxh2#
FEN: 3r3r/2pk4/2pp1p2/4n1p1/4P1P1/2N2P1q/PP3R1N/3R1QK1 b - - 2 25
Puzzle 18: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 40. e7.
Puzzle rating 1838
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Arabian mate, pin
Show solution
40... Nxf3+ 41. Kh1 Rd1+ 42. Bg1 Rxg1#
FEN: 8/4P3/R7/6pk/P2B1p1n/1PP2P2/3r2PK/8 b - - 0 40
Puzzle 19: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 20. Nf5.
Puzzle rating 1993
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Arabian mate, kingside attack
Show solution
20... Nf3+ 21. Kh1 Qxh2+ 22. Qxh2 Rxh2#
FEN: 6nr/1p1k2p1/3p1p1q/4pN2/2BnP3/3P4/PPP2PQP/R4RK1 b - - 6 20
Puzzle 20: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 30. Rxf2.
Puzzle rating 2236
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Arabian mate, deflection
Show solution
30... Qb1+ 31. Bf1 Qxf1+ 32. Rxf1 Rxh2#
FEN: Q4R2/5pkp/6p1/8/4qN2/P3PnP1/1r3RBP/7K b - - 0 30