Mate in 2 chess puzzles
20 mate in 2 puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a mate in 2 in chess?
In a mate-in-2 you play a first move, your opponent replies, and your second move is checkmate whatever they did. The first move is often a check or a sacrifice that drags the king or a defender to a bad square.
How to spot a mate in 2
Start with forcing moves: checks, captures, then threats. For each candidate, look at every reply the opponent has and make sure you have a mate against all of them, not just the obvious one.
Learn it first: Checks, captures, threats (CCT) · Mate in two · Mating attacks in three moves
Mate in 2 chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 35... b3.
Puzzle rating 508
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Pillsbury’s mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
36. Rc8+ Re8 37. Rxe8#
FEN: 6k1/4rpp1/7p/p1R5/6P1/1p1B3P/q1P3K1/8 w - - 0 36
Puzzle 2: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 29. Ng1.
Puzzle rating 688
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Opera mate, kingside attack
Show solution
29... Rxh2+ 30. Rxh2 Rxh2#
FEN: 2k5/p6p/1pp5/2p4r/2P1pb2/1PB4r/P2P1R1P/5RNK b - - 1 29
Puzzle 3: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 29. Nxg2.
Puzzle rating 734
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, pin, endgame tactic
Show solution
29... Re1+ 30. Qf1 Rxf1#
FEN: q3r2k/p1R2Qp1/7p/8/8/B7/P1PP2NP/7K b - - 0 29
Puzzle 4: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 61... e4.
Puzzle rating 903
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, queen endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
62. Qh7+ Kg5 63. Qh4#
FEN: 8/Q7/6p1/5p1k/4p1p1/5qP1/5P2/6K1 w - - 0 62
Puzzle 5: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 24... Bxe2.
Puzzle rating 931
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Opera mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
25. Rb7+ Ke6 26. Re7#
FEN: r4r2/p2k2p1/2pN4/3pP1Bp/PR5P/2p5/4bP1P/6K1 w - - 0 25
Puzzle 6: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 18... Bxe5.
Puzzle rating 961
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, kingside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
19. Qg4+ Kh8 20. Qg7#
FEN: r1b1r1k1/p1q2p1p/2p1pP2/2p1b3/2Pp3P/3P2P1/PP2QP2/R4RK1 w - - 0 19
Puzzle 7: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 40... Bxe6.
Puzzle rating 993
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, middlegame tactic
Show solution
41. Rh1+ Bh3 42. Rxh3#
FEN: 1r4rk/5R2/p3b3/1p1n2p1/8/Pp3N2/1P3KP1/5R2 w - - 0 41
Puzzle 8: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 37. Kf3.
Puzzle rating 1129
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, middlegame tactic
Show solution
37... R8h3+ 38. Ke4 Re2#
FEN: 5R1r/ppk5/1n3p2/2N1pB2/6P1/5K2/P6r/3R4 b - - 4 37
Puzzle 9: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 39... Kh8.
Puzzle rating 1161
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Arabian mate, discovered attack
Show solution
40. Nf6+ Bxa8 41. Rxh7#
FEN: R3N2k/3p3p/4p1r1/4Kp1R/4bP2/p2r2P1/7P/8 w - - 6 40
Puzzle 10: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 24... Nxc6.
Puzzle rating 1216
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Opera mate, sacrifice
Show solution
25. Rb8+ Nxb8 26. Rxb8#
FEN: 2kr3r/8/p1n1Pp1p/q2P3b/1R6/2P3B1/P4PPP/1R4K1 w - - 0 25
Puzzle 11: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 24... Kxh7.
Puzzle rating 1306
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, double check, middlegame tactic
Show solution
25. Nf8+ Kh8 26. Qh7#
FEN: r2q4/3b2pk/p1p1p1Np/3pP3/Pb6/4P3/1PQ3PP/5RK1 w - - 0 25
Puzzle 12: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 24... Qxh7.
Puzzle rating 1377
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, pin, discovered attack
Show solution
25. f7+ e5 26. Bxe5#
FEN: r4r1k/p1p4q/1p2pP1R/1Pn3p1/8/P3P3/1B3PP1/3RKB2 w - - 0 25
Puzzle 13: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 38... Kg6.
Puzzle rating 1447
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, epaulette mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
39. h5+ Kh6 40. Rf6#
FEN: 8/p1p2n1p/2p1N1k1/8/2Pr2PP/1P6/r7/5R1K w - - 3 39
Puzzle 14: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 34... Bh6.
Puzzle rating 1532
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Pillsbury’s mate, sacrifice
Show solution
35. Qc8+ Rxc8 36. Rxc8#
FEN: 1r3kr1/4p3/5p1b/p1Q1pP1B/8/6R1/q5PP/2R4K w - - 2 35
Puzzle 15: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 25... Kf7.
Puzzle rating 1655
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, fork, middlegame tactic
Show solution
26. Qxf6+ Kg8 27. Rh8#
FEN: r3qr1Q/p4k2/2pb1pb1/3p2p1/3P4/7R/PPPN3P/5RK1 w - - 6 26
Puzzle 16: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 22. Nh3.
Puzzle rating 1751
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, epaulette mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
22... Nxf1+ 23. Raxf1 Qxg2#
FEN: 5rk1/pp3p1p/3Pb1p1/7P/3N1Q2/4PP1N/PPrn1qPK/R4B1R b - - 8 22
Puzzle 17: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 30... Kg7.
Puzzle rating 1874
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, endgame tactic
Show solution
31. Rg8+ Kh7 32. Qxg6#
FEN: 5R2/3q2k1/4p1pN/p1ppP3/8/P1PQ3P/rr4P1/6K1 w - - 2 31
Puzzle 18: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 32... gxh3.
Puzzle rating 2008
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Opera mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
33. f4+ Kd5 34. Rd6#
FEN: 8/8/7R/1p2kp1p/1Bp1b3/2P3Pp/r4P2/6K1 w - - 0 33
Puzzle 19: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 43. Qxd5.
Puzzle rating 2119
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, endgame tactic
Show solution
43... Qa3+ 44. Kb1 Qa1#
FEN: r5k1/1p3pp1/7p/3Q4/qP1N4/2P5/1KR3PP/8 b - - 0 43
Puzzle 20: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 29... Bxg4.
Puzzle rating 2436
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, pin, discovered check
Show solution
30. Re7+ Kg8 31. Bh7#
FEN: 4rr1b/7k/3q3p/pP1P3N/4R1b1/3B3P/1P3P2/4K1R1 w - - 0 30