Back-rank mate chess puzzles
20 back-rank mate puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a back-rank mate in chess?
A back-rank mate happens when a rook or queen checks a king along its first rank and the king is boxed in by its own pawns. It is one of the most common ways games end below 1500.
How to spot a back-rank mate
Look for a castled king with its three pawns unmoved and no escape square (“luft”). If the back rank is guarded by only one piece, try to deflect or overload that piece. To defend, make a flight square with a pawn move such as h3 or h6.
Learn it first: First mating patterns · Ladder mate and classic patterns · Mate in two
Back-rank mate chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 18. Qxd7.
Puzzle rating 502
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, back-rank mate, hanging piece
Show solution
18... Rxe1#
FEN: r3r1k1/pp1Q2pp/5p2/3p4/3n4/3P4/PP3PPP/R1B1R1K1 b - - 0 18
Puzzle 2: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 22... Qxb2.
Puzzle rating 543
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, back-rank mate, hanging piece
Show solution
23. Rxe8#
FEN: 3Rn1k1/p4ppp/8/8/2P1p3/4B3/Pq3PPP/6K1 w - - 0 23
Puzzle 3: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 41. Bc3.
Puzzle rating 633
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, back-rank mate, fork
Show solution
41... Rb1+ 42. Nc1 Rxc1+ 43. Be1 Rxe1#
FEN: 8/6pp/6k1/8/5R2/PNB5/1r3PPP/6K1 b - - 3 41
Puzzle 4: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 30. Rxe4.
Puzzle rating 684
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, back-rank mate, sacrifice
Show solution
30... Qxf2+ 31. Kh1 Qf1+ 32. Rxf1 Rxf1#
FEN: 5r1k/ppQ3bp/5qp1/3P4/P3R3/1P6/5PPP/2R3K1 b - - 0 30
Puzzle 5: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 30. Qxc1.
Puzzle rating 719
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, back-rank mate, fork
Show solution
30... Rd1+ 31. Qxd1 cxd1=Q#
FEN: 6k1/5p1p/3r1p2/5b2/1N6/8/P1p2PPP/2Q3K1 b - - 0 30
Puzzle 6: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 34... Rce8.
Puzzle rating 785
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, back-rank mate, X-ray attack
Show solution
35. Qxe8+ Rxe8 36. Rxe8#
FEN: 4r1k1/5ppp/3p4/1Qpq4/P3r3/7P/5PP1/2R1R1K1 w - - 1 35
Puzzle 7: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 34... Ne4.
Puzzle rating 874
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, back-rank mate, sacrifice
Show solution
35. Qxf7+ Kh8 36. Qf8+ Rxf8 37. Rxf8#
FEN: 3r2k1/Q4ppp/4p3/P2rb3/1P2n3/7P/6P1/5R1K w - - 1 35
Puzzle 8: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 33... Qxc6.
Puzzle rating 940
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, back-rank mate, queen endgame
Show solution
34. Qh8+ Qe8 35. Qxe8#
FEN: 1k6/ppp1p3/2q3p1/7p/4P3/P1Q5/5PPK/8 w - - 0 34
Puzzle 9: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 25. Ba2.
Puzzle rating 985
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, back-rank mate, fork
Show solution
25... Rxb1+ 26. Bxb1 Rc1+ 27. Re1 Rxe1#
FEN: 1r5k/4R1p1/2p4p/N1n5/P7/2r5/B4PPP/1R4K1 b - - 3 25
Puzzle 10: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 33... Rxf8.
Puzzle rating 1074
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, back-rank mate, deflection
Show solution
34. Ne7+ Kh8 35. Rxf8#
FEN: 5rk1/p5pp/p7/3NP3/8/2P5/r5PP/5R1K w - - 0 34
Puzzle 11: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 24. Qxd6.
Puzzle rating 1135
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, back-rank mate, fork
Show solution
24... Qf2+ 25. Kh1 Qf1+ 26. Rxf1 Rxf1#
FEN: 5r1k/p5pp/1p1Q4/8/2P4q/8/PB4PP/2R3K1 b - - 0 24
Puzzle 12: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 26. Rxd6.
Puzzle rating 1240
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, back-rank mate, X-ray attack
Show solution
26... Qxd1+ 27. Rxd1 Rxd1#
FEN: 3r1r2/5pk1/p2R3p/2p2Qp1/q1P1P3/P7/5PPP/3R2K1 b - - 0 26
Puzzle 13: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 29. Qd6.
Puzzle rating 1251
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, back-rank mate, sacrifice
Show solution
29... Qxf2+ 30. Kh1 Qf1+ 31. Rxf1 Rxf1#
FEN: 2r3k1/5rpp/3Q4/p7/4R3/8/1q3PPP/4R1K1 b - - 1 29
Puzzle 14: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 26. Ne1.
Puzzle rating 1406
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, back-rank mate, X-ray attack
Show solution
26... Qxe1+ 27. Rxe1 Rxe1#
FEN: 3rr1k1/5ppp/1p1P4/2p5/5Q2/P7/3RRPPP/1q2N1K1 b - - 2 26
Puzzle 15: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 33... Bxe3.
Puzzle rating 1427
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, back-rank mate, hanging piece
Show solution
34. Rxc8#
FEN: 2r3k1/pp3ppb/8/3p1PPp/3P4/1P2b2r/P4B2/2R1R1K1 w - - 0 34
Puzzle 16: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 27... Rxg3.
Puzzle rating 1539
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, back-rank mate, X-ray attack
Show solution
28. Qxg8+ Rxg8 29. Rxg8+ Be8 30. Rxe8+ Qd8 31. Rxd8#
FEN: 1k4r1/ppp5/3pQ3/4n2b/4P2q/2PP2r1/PP4R1/5NK1 w - - 0 28
Puzzle 17: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 22. Rxd8.
Puzzle rating 1723
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, back-rank mate, fork
Show solution
22... Qxf2+ 23. Kh1 Qxe1#
FEN: 3R1r1k/2p3p1/p1p1Q2p/2q1P3/8/2P5/P4PPP/4R1K1 b - - 0 22
Puzzle 18: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 30. fxe8=Q.
Puzzle rating 1796
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, back-rank mate, fork
Show solution
30... Qf2+ 31. Kh1 Qxe1#
FEN: r3Qr1k/6pp/p3B3/2p3Q1/2pp4/3P2R1/2q3PP/4R1K1 b - - 0 30
Puzzle 19: Black to move and mate in 4
Black to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 22. Rd2.
Puzzle rating 1899
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, back-rank mate, deflection
Show solution
22... Re1+ 23. Rd1 Bg5+ 24. f4 Bxf4+ 25. Kb1 Rxd1#
FEN: 2k1r3/1p4p1/p4b1p/8/3N2n1/8/PPPR1PPP/2K2B1R b - - 3 22
Puzzle 20: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 24... Qxb2.
Puzzle rating 2478
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, back-rank mate, sacrifice
Show solution
25. Ne7+ Bxe7 26. Rxd8+ Bxd8 27. Bd5+ Kh8 28. Rf8#
FEN: 3r2k1/p5pp/1p6/n1b1pN2/K3B3/2P5/Pq4PP/3R1R2 w - - 0 25