Double-bishop mate chess puzzles
20 double-bishop mate puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a double-bishop mate in chess?
A double-bishop mate uses two bishops on neighbouring diagonals to cover every escape square of a king that is blocked by its own pieces.
How to spot a double-bishop mate
Look for open diagonals pointing at the enemy king, often after a pawn trade has opened lines in front of it.
Double-bishop mate chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 25. Rxf3.
Puzzle rating 530
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, double-bishop mate, kingside attack
Show solution
25... Bxf3#
FEN: 4r1k1/ppp2ppp/1b6/8/1P2bP2/1QP2R2/PB5P/R6K b - - 0 25
Puzzle 2: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 14... Bxb5.
Puzzle rating 604
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, double-bishop mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
15. Bxb5#
FEN: r3kb1r/ppB1pppp/n7/1b6/8/5N2/PPP3PP/3K1B1R w kq - 0 15
Puzzle 3: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 10... Nef6.
Puzzle rating 612
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, double-bishop mate, opening tactic
Show solution
11. Bxg6#
FEN: r2qkb1r/pp1np1p1/2p2npp/3p4/3P1BPP/3BPP2/PPP5/RN1QK2R w KQkq - 1 11
Puzzle 4: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 23. Qxd6.
Puzzle rating 648
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, double-bishop mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
23... Be4+ 24. Rf3 Bxf3#
FEN: 8/pp3ppk/1b1Q2b1/8/8/2P5/PP5P/R4R1K b - - 0 23
Puzzle 5: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 36... Bxa5.
Puzzle rating 655
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, double-bishop mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
37. Be5#
FEN: 3r3k/pp5p/3P4/b2B4/5B2/5PP1/7P/7K w - - 0 37
Puzzle 6: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 17. gxf3.
Puzzle rating 670
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, double-bishop mate, kingside attack
Show solution
17... Bxf3#
FEN: r2qk3/ppp1n1Bp/6pQ/8/2B1P1b1/2P2P2/PP3b1P/RN3R1K b q - 0 17
Puzzle 7: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 13... bxc6.
Puzzle rating 691
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, double-bishop mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
14. Ba6#
FEN: 2kr3r/B1pq1ppp/2pb1n2/1B1b4/4p3/P6P/1PPNQPP1/R3K2R w KQ - 0 14
Puzzle 8: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 14. b3.
Puzzle rating 692
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, double-bishop mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
14... Ba3#
FEN: rn2r1k1/ppp1b1pp/8/4Pp2/8/1P3N2/b1PB1PPP/2KR1B1R b - - 0 14
Puzzle 9: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 17... bxa6.
Puzzle rating 705
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, double-bishop mate, queenside attack
Show solution
18. Bxa6#
FEN: 2kr2r1/B1pbqp2/p2b1n1p/3Pp1p1/4P3/P1N5/1PP1BP1P/1K1R2R1 w - - 0 18
Puzzle 10: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 13. b3.
Puzzle rating 722
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, double-bishop mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
13... Ba3#
FEN: r2q1rk1/p1p2pp1/3p1n1p/1Bb5/3NP3/1P1P1N2/b1PQ1PPP/2KR3R b - - 0 13
Puzzle 11: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 36. g4.
Puzzle rating 730
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, double-bishop mate, bishop endgame
Show solution
36... Be4#
FEN: 7k/6pp/3B4/8/p1Bb1PP1/8/7P/1b5K b - - 0 36
Puzzle 12: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 7. gxh4.
Puzzle rating 733
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, double-bishop mate, opening tactic
Show solution
7... Bxh4#
FEN: r3k1nr/ppp1bppp/2n5/3pp3/6bP/1P1P1P2/PBPNP2P/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 0 7
Puzzle 13: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 29. g3.
Puzzle rating 743
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, double-bishop mate, bishop endgame
Show solution
29... Be4+ 30. Bf3 Bxf3#
FEN: 5k2/pp3p2/2p4p/4P1p1/P1P2P2/1P2b1PP/7B/1b1B3K b - - 0 29
Puzzle 14: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 38... Bxe7.
Puzzle rating 749
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, double-bishop mate, bishop endgame
Show solution
39. Bf3+ Bd5 40. Bxd5#
FEN: k7/p3b2p/1p2b3/4B3/P7/7P/4B1P1/7K w - - 0 39
Puzzle 15: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 20... b6.
Puzzle rating 813
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, double-bishop mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
21. Ba6#
FEN: 2kr2n1/B1pbq3/1p1p1p2/3P4/4P3/2N2R2/PPP5/2K2B1N w - - 0 21
Puzzle 16: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 21... Rxf6.
Puzzle rating 848
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, double-bishop mate, kingside attack
Show solution
22. Bxf6#
FEN: r6k/pb1p3p/1pnP1r2/6Bq/2B5/5N2/PP3KPP/4R3 w - - 0 22
Puzzle 17: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 35. Ba4.
Puzzle rating 916
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, double-bishop mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
35... Bc1#
FEN: 8/p1k3p1/3R3p/2P5/BP1P2P1/K6P/P2b1P2/3b4 b - - 2 35
Puzzle 18: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 44... Bxe7.
Puzzle rating 951
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, double-bishop mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
45. Bxe5+ Bf6 46. Bxf6#
FEN: 4r2k/3bb2p/3B2p1/4p2P/p3Pp2/5P2/B5PK/8 w - - 0 45
Puzzle 19: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 13... Bd7.
Puzzle rating 1449
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, double-bishop mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
14. Bg6#
FEN: r2qkb1r/p1pbp1p1/3p1n1p/1N1P4/Q1P2B2/3B1P2/PP5P/R3K2R w KQkq - 1 14
Puzzle 20: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 20... Qa5.
Puzzle rating 1526
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, double-bishop mate, sacrifice
Show solution
21. Qxf8+ Nxf8 22. Bf6#
FEN: r1b2r1k/p2n3p/2p1B1pQ/q2p2B1/4p3/2P5/P1P4P/R3K2R w KQ - 1 21