Epaulette mate chess puzzles
20 epaulette mate puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a epaulette mate in chess?
An epaulette mate is a check from the front where the king’s two side squares are blocked by its own pieces, usually rooks, like epaulettes on a uniform.
How to spot a epaulette mate
Look for a king with its own pieces on both sides along the same rank. A queen check from directly in front is often mate.
Epaulette mate chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 50. Bxf7.
Puzzle rating 585
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, epaulette mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
50... Qf1#
FEN: 8/5Bk1/3p1bp1/2p2p1p/5P1P/1Q2PKP1/3P4/q7 b - - 0 50
Puzzle 2: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 27. Rxh1.
Puzzle rating 652
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, epaulette mate, Opera mate
Show solution
27... Rg2#
FEN: 4k1r1/pb1p1p2/1p2pp2/7B/3P3P/7R/PP5K/7R b - - 0 27
Puzzle 3: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 23. c3.
Puzzle rating 686
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, epaulette mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
23... Rg6+ 24. Bg5 Rxg5#
FEN: 2k4r/p4ppp/2pr4/8/N2b4/2P2P2/PP3nKP/R1B2R2 b - - 0 23
Puzzle 4: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 37. Kg6.
Puzzle rating 718
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, epaulette mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
37... Rg5#
FEN: 6k1/1R4p1/5pKp/1pBr4/1P6/2n3P1/6PP/8 b - - 8 37
Puzzle 5: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 24... Bf5.
Puzzle rating 745
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, epaulette mate, sacrifice
Show solution
25. Rd6+ exd6 26. Rxd6#
FEN: 7r/1pr1p1n1/p1k5/2p2b1p/2P1NPpP/1P4P1/P1KRB3/3R4 w - - 1 25
Puzzle 6: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 30... Kh7.
Puzzle rating 857
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, epaulette mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
31. Rf7+ Qg7 32. Rgxg7#
FEN: r6r/3p3k/pp1Np2p/4q3/7B/6R1/2P3PP/5RK1 w - - 2 31
Puzzle 7: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 44. Rec2.
Puzzle rating 914
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, epaulette mate, rook endgame
Show solution
44... Re1+ 45. Re2 Rxe2#
FEN: 8/2R2pkp/4p1p1/4P3/3PKP2/1r5P/2R3P1/r7 b - - 10 44
Puzzle 8: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 17. gxh3.
Puzzle rating 994
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, epaulette mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
17... Rf2+ 18. Bg2 Qxg2#
FEN: r4rk1/ppp3pp/8/6q1/3Qp3/P3P2P/1PP4K/R4B1R b - - 0 17
Puzzle 9: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 21. Kxf2.
Puzzle rating 1096
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, epaulette mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
21... Qe2+ 22. Kg3 Qxg2#
FEN: r5k1/ppp1qppp/6n1/3P4/1PN2n2/PQ3N1P/1B3KP1/R7 b - - 0 21
Puzzle 10: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 30... Bc8.
Puzzle rating 1160
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, epaulette mate, Opera mate
Show solution
31. g4+ Kg6 32. Rg7#
FEN: 2b1r3/p2N1R2/2p2B1p/2p3pk/8/1P1P3K/P1r3P1/8 w - - 4 31
Puzzle 11: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 38... g4.
Puzzle rating 1186
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, epaulette mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
39. h6+ Kg6 40. Rg8+ Rg7 41. Rxg7#
FEN: 2R5/5rkp/1p3p2/7P/3pP1p1/p2P3Q/6PK/3q4 w - - 0 39
Puzzle 12: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 31. Rc5.
Puzzle rating 1257
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, epaulette mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
31... R8e2+ 32. Kg3 Rg1#
FEN: 4rk2/p4ppp/6n1/P1R5/1P6/2P2P1P/R1B3K1/1N2r3 b - - 8 31
Puzzle 13: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 23. Qxc2.
Puzzle rating 1381
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, epaulette mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
23... Qa1+ 24. Qb1 Rc8+ 25. Bc6 Rxc6#
FEN: 5rk1/p4bpp/3p1p2/6P1/B3P2P/1P3P2/q1QP4/2KR3R b - - 0 23
Puzzle 14: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 31... Kg6.
Puzzle rating 1531
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, epaulette mate, rook endgame
Show solution
32. Rg3+ Kh6 33. Rf6#
FEN: 2r5/pp5r/6k1/7p/2Pp4/4R2P/P5P1/5RK1 w - - 2 32
Puzzle 15: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 32... Rd8.
Puzzle rating 1663
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, epaulette mate, Opera mate
Show solution
33. g4+ Ke5 34. Rd5#
FEN: 3r4/5pp1/p1BPn1bp/5k2/2p1Nb2/P4P2/1P4PP/1K1R4 w - - 3 33
Puzzle 16: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 26... Kxc6.
Puzzle rating 1686
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, epaulette mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
27. Qa6#
FEN: 5n2/Q1pq2p1/2k1p3/2PpP1r1/3P3p/2P4P/P1b3P1/6K1 w - - 0 27
Puzzle 17: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 40... g5.
Puzzle rating 1920
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, epaulette mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
41. Rh8+ Kg6 42. Rg8+ Kf5 43. Rxg5#
FEN: 1R6/5p2/4pN1k/2b1P1pp/5P2/5KP1/r6P/8 w - - 0 41
Puzzle 18: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 25... Ke7.
Puzzle rating 2017
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, epaulette mate, sacrifice
Show solution
26. Ng6+ fxg6 27. Qg7#
FEN: 2rqr3/3nkp2/p2bpn1Q/1b1pN3/1p1P4/6RP/PP2NPP1/1BB3K1 w - - 1 26
Puzzle 19: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 27... axb5.
Puzzle rating 2279
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, epaulette mate, deflection
Show solution
28. Qxg7+ Kxg7 29. Rg3+ Kh7 30. Rxf7#
FEN: 2qr2kr/1b3pp1/1b1Bp2p/1p2P3/2P3Q1/3R4/6PP/5R1K w - - 0 28
Puzzle 20: Black to move and mate in 4
Black to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 17. bxa3.
Puzzle rating 2367
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, epaulette mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
17... Rd5 18. a4 Rdc5 19. a3 Rb6+ 20. Ka2 Rc2#
FEN: 2k5/ppp2ppp/2r5/4P3/8/P3PPB1/P2r1P1P/RK5R b - - 0 17