Mate in 1 chess puzzles
20 mate in 1 puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a mate in 1 in chess?
A mate-in-1 puzzle has exactly one move that checkmates at once. They train the most basic skill in chess: seeing every check on the board and knowing when the king has no escape.
How to spot a mate in 1
List every check you have, then ask of each one: can the king move, can the checking piece be captured, can the check be blocked? The move that leaves all three answers at “no” is mate.
Learn it first: Checkmate and stalemate · First mating patterns · Ladder mate and classic patterns · Scholar’s mate and how to stop it
Mate in 1 chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 25... Bxe3.
Puzzle rating 518
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Opera mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
26. Rc8#
FEN: 1k6/p5pp/Bp6/3rpp2/1P2b3/P3b2P/5PP1/2R3K1 w - - 0 26
Puzzle 2: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 20... Qxb8.
Puzzle rating 596
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, hanging piece, middlegame tactic
Show solution
21. Bxc6#
FEN: 1q2kb1r/5pp1/2n1p2p/3pP1B1/B1pP3P/2P2N2/5PP1/5RK1 w k - 0 21
Puzzle 3: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 24... Nxc1.
Puzzle rating 629
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, epaulette mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
25. Rxb7#
FEN: r2r4/kp3Rpp/p1P5/8/B7/5P2/P4P1P/K1n5 w - - 0 25
Puzzle 4: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 37. b8=Q.
Puzzle rating 676
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Arabian mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
37... Rg1#
FEN: 1Q4r1/5k2/1RNp4/4p3/8/5n1b/5P1P/7K b - - 0 37
Puzzle 5: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 16... Rxg8.
Puzzle rating 687
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
17. Nf7#
FEN: r2q2rk/pp1np1bp/2p3pN/5p2/3PpP2/2P1P3/PP4PP/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 17
Puzzle 6: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 17... Nxg8.
Puzzle rating 720
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
18. Nf7#
FEN: rnb3nk/pp2p1bp/1q1NB1p1/8/2p5/2N5/PPPP2PP/R1B4K w - - 0 18
Puzzle 7: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 18... O-O-O.
Puzzle rating 733
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, middlegame tactic
Show solution
19. Ba6#
FEN: 2kr3r/3n1ppp/2p1p3/2Pp1b2/1P1P1B2/8/4BPPP/2R1K2R w K - 1 19
Puzzle 8: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 16... Rxg8.
Puzzle rating 747
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
17. Nf7#
FEN: r1bq2rk/pp1nb1pn/2p2p1N/3p4/3P1P2/1P2P3/PBPN2PP/R3K2R w KQ - 0 17
Puzzle 9: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 22. Rxg1.
Puzzle rating 841
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
22... Nf2#
FEN: r3k2r/4b2p/n1p1Q3/1p6/p4P2/P4N1n/1PPN2PP/R5RK b kq - 0 22
Puzzle 10: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 34... R2e6.
Puzzle rating 842
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, epaulette mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
35. Rf4#
FEN: 4r3/2pR4/ppn1rkpp/8/1PR4P/P4N2/6P1/3K4 w - - 8 35
Puzzle 11: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 41... a4.
Puzzle rating 925
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Opera mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
42. Rg8#
FEN: 4R3/r5kp/6p1/2pB2P1/p1Pn3P/8/5K2/8 w - - 0 42
Puzzle 12: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 50... Qd1.
Puzzle rating 965
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, dovetail mate, queen endgame
Show solution
51. Qf4#
FEN: 5Q2/8/6p1/6kp/3P4/2P1K3/8/3q4 w - - 4 51
Puzzle 13: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 12... Rd8.
Puzzle rating 982
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, middlegame tactic
Show solution
13. Nc7#
FEN: 3rkb1r/pp2pppp/2n2n2/1N5b/5B2/1N2PP2/PP4PP/3RKB1R w Kk - 3 13
Puzzle 14: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 15... Nbd7.
Puzzle rating 1110
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, kingside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
16. Nxf7#
FEN: r1bqrb1k/3n1p2/2p2n2/pp1pN1QP/3P4/3B4/PPP1NPP1/R3K2R w KQ - 5 16
Puzzle 15: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 39... Ra7.
Puzzle rating 1180
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, hook mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
40. Rc5#
FEN: 8/rpR3pp/4bp2/3kp3/P2nN3/1p3P2/6PP/R6K w - - 6 40
Puzzle 16: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 13... Nxf7.
Puzzle rating 1214
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, attacking f2/f7, opening tactic
Show solution
14. Bxf7#
FEN: r2qkb1r/pb1p1npp/1p1P4/n1p1P1N1/2B5/2N5/PP3PPP/R1B1K2R w KQkq - 0 14
Puzzle 17: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 29. Qe2.
Puzzle rating 1355
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, endgame tactic
Show solution
29... Bg2#
FEN: 5r2/p1pk2p1/2p3p1/3pP3/8/2P3Pb/P3Qq1P/R3R2K b - - 4 29
Puzzle 18: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 10... Bxd1.
Puzzle rating 1567
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Pillsbury’s mate, kingside attack
Show solution
11. Rxh7#
FEN: rn1qnr1k/ppp1p1bp/3p2p1/4P1N1/2BP4/2N5/PPP2PP1/R1BbK2R w KQ - 0 11
Puzzle 19: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 9. Nd5.
Puzzle rating 1608
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, pin
Show solution
9... Nd3#
FEN: r1b1k2r/ppppqppp/8/3Nn3/1bP5/P7/1P1BPPPP/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 2 9
Puzzle 20: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 30... Nf8.
Puzzle rating 1925
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, pin, middlegame tactic
Show solution
31. Nxf6#
FEN: 2R2nkr/1p4p1/p4pQ1/3N1P2/8/P2n3P/4q1P1/7K w - - 5 31