Dovetail mate chess puzzles
20 dovetail mate puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a dovetail mate in chess?
In a dovetail mate a protected queen checks the king diagonally from close range, and the king’s two retreat squares behind it are blocked by its own pieces.
How to spot a dovetail mate
Look for a king whose diagonal retreat squares are occupied by its own pieces and a queen that can check next to it with protection.
Dovetail mate chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 13... Be6.
Puzzle rating 700
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, dovetail mate, opening tactic
Show solution
14. Qxe6#
FEN: r2q1b1r/1pp2kpp/p1npb3/3Q4/2B1PP2/8/PP4PP/R1B2RK1 w - - 1 14
Puzzle 2: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 35. Ke2.
Puzzle rating 744
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, dovetail mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
35... Qd1#
FEN: 3q2k1/5pbp/6p1/4p3/1BR1B3/2P1Q3/4KP2/r7 b - - 2 35
Puzzle 3: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 32... d4.
Puzzle rating 770
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, dovetail mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
33. Qf8#
FEN: R7/p1r3kp/1p2p1p1/4q3/P2p4/1P3QPP/6PK/8 w - - 0 33
Puzzle 4: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 32... Kg5.
Puzzle rating 893
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, dovetail mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
33. Qh4#
FEN: r7/1pp5/4P1p1/pP1P1bk1/3Q4/K7/P3q3/7R w - - 2 33
Puzzle 5: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 46... Kf6.
Puzzle rating 910
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, dovetail mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
47. Qg5#
FEN: 8/5p2/2n1qk2/2Q5/P6P/6P1/5P2/6K1 w - - 7 47
Puzzle 6: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 31. Qxg4.
Puzzle rating 943
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, dovetail mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
31... Qxe3#
FEN: 4r2k/pp4p1/7p/8/6QP/2q1B3/5KP1/1b1R1B1R b - - 0 31
Puzzle 7: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 51... Kc6.
Puzzle rating 968
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, dovetail mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
52. Qb5#
FEN: 1Q6/2p1r3/2kp4/p5P1/Pb6/1KP1r3/8/8 w - - 5 52
Puzzle 8: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 14... Kxf7.
Puzzle rating 988
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, dovetail mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
15. Qxe6#
FEN: r1q2b1r/1b1n1kp1/2p1p2p/p7/PpBPQ3/1P2P3/1B3PPP/R3K2R w KQ - 0 15
Puzzle 9: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 20. Kd2.
Puzzle rating 1058
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, dovetail mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
20... Qe3#
FEN: 8/4kpQp/p3p3/2b5/4q3/8/PPPK2PP/3R3R b - - 6 20
Puzzle 10: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 36... Rxe8.
Puzzle rating 1168
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, dovetail mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
37. Qxe8+ Kg7 38. Qf8#
FEN: 4r1k1/7p/pp4p1/3q4/P2p1b2/BP6/4Q1PP/6K1 w - - 0 37
Puzzle 11: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 41... Qf6.
Puzzle rating 1241
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, dovetail mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
42. Qh5#
FEN: 8/1b4b1/p1r2qk1/1p1p4/7Q/1P3P2/P4KP1/7R w - - 13 42
Puzzle 12: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 31. Kxf4.
Puzzle rating 1384
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, dovetail mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
31... Qg5#
FEN: 7k/1ppQ2p1/7p/8/p1P1PK2/P4P2/1P4qP/5R2 b - - 0 31
Puzzle 13: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 32. Kd2.
Puzzle rating 1456
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, dovetail mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
32... Bb4+ 33. c3 Qxc3#
FEN: 7r/3kb3/B3p1p1/3p1p1p/3P4/q4PP1/2PKQ1P1/3RR3 b - - 6 32
Puzzle 14: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 27... Ka7.
Puzzle rating 1686
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, dovetail mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
28. b6+ Kxb6 29. Qc5#
FEN: 2Q5/kp3r1p/p3p3/1P1pP3/5q2/7P/P5r1/2R2N1K w - - 2 28
Puzzle 15: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 21. Qf1.
Puzzle rating 1704
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, dovetail mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
21... Qg3#
FEN: r5k1/1p3p1p/p2p1Rp1/2pP2r1/P1P5/1NN4q/1P2BK2/R4Q2 b - - 4 21
Puzzle 16: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 54. Ke2.
Puzzle rating 1838
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, dovetail mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
54... gxf3+ 55. Kxf3 Qe4#
FEN: 7Q/5k2/2p2p2/2Pp4/3P2p1/5NP1/3BKP2/1q6 b - - 2 54
Puzzle 17: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 29. Kb2.
Puzzle rating 1881
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, dovetail mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
29... c3+ 30. Kxc3 Qd4#
FEN: 6kb/5r1p/3p2pQ/pp2p3/2p1P1N1/PP3P2/BKP4R/6q1 b - - 2 29
Puzzle 18: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 28. Bxd1.
Puzzle rating 2017
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, dovetail mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
28... Qe1+ 29. Kg2 Qf1#
FEN: 6k1/5p1p/bp6/p1p1qP2/P7/2P3P1/1PQ4P/3B2K1 b - - 0 28
Puzzle 19: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 25... f5.
Puzzle rating 2234
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, dovetail mate, fork
Show solution
26. Nf6+ Kg7 27. Qh7+ Kxf6 28. g5+ Kxg5 29. Qh4#
FEN: r4rk1/3bn2N/p1n1p1p1/4qp2/6PQ/2p4R/PP3P1P/2R3K1 w - - 0 26
Puzzle 20: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 46. Kf6.
Puzzle rating 2467
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, dovetail mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
46... Qf3+ 47. Ke7 Qf8#
FEN: 2N3r1/3Q4/p3PK2/kp1pP3/4q3/6P1/8/2R5 b - - 12 46