Mate in 3 chess puzzles
20 mate in 3 puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a mate in 3 in chess?
A mate-in-3 needs three of your moves to force checkmate. These puzzles build calculation: you must hold a short forcing line in your head and check that the defender has no way out at each step.
How to spot a mate in 3
Look for a king with few flight squares and pieces of yours already near it. Work through checks first, because they limit the replies you have to calculate.
Learn it first: Mating attacks in three moves · Calculating without moving the pieces
Mate in 3 chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 29... Rd2.
Puzzle rating 738
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Opera mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
30. Qe8+ Nf8 31. Qxf8+ Kxf8 32. Re8#
FEN: 6k1/5ppp/rq3bn1/8/B3Q3/7P/1P1r1PP1/1R2R1K1 w - - 7 30
Puzzle 2: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 21... Bxe5.
Puzzle rating 910
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Anastasia’s mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
22. Ne7+ Kh7 23. Rh1+ Bh2 24. Rxh2#
FEN: r4rk1/ppp2pp1/4n3/3Nb3/2B1P3/3P4/PPP3K1/R7 w - - 0 22
Puzzle 3: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 30. Rc1.
Puzzle rating 993
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, X-ray attack, endgame tactic
Show solution
30... Rd1+ 31. Rxd1 Qxd1+ 32. Qe1 Qxe1#
FEN: 3r2k1/5pp1/p6p/2p5/4P3/1P2Q3/P4PPP/q1R3K1 b - - 3 30
Puzzle 4: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 28... Ne4.
Puzzle rating 1073
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, back-rank mate, pin
Show solution
29. Ra8+ Bf8 30. Ne7+ Kh8 31. Rxf8#
FEN: 6k1/R1p2ppp/3b4/4pN2/4n2P/6P1/P1r2PK1/8 w - - 1 29
Puzzle 5: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 25. Qxd6.
Puzzle rating 1152
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, back-rank mate, fork
Show solution
25... Qf2+ 26. Kh1 Qf1+ 27. Rxf1 Rxf1#
FEN: 5r1k/p4qpp/1p1Q4/8/PP6/4P3/1B4PP/R5K1 b - - 0 25
Puzzle 6: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 34. bxc5.
Puzzle rating 1302
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Pillsbury’s mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
34... h5+ 35. Kxh5 Rh7+ 36. Kg4 Rh4#
FEN: 8/6r1/p2p1k1p/1pP1b1p1/4P1K1/P4P1P/5P2/1R1R4 b - - 0 34
Puzzle 7: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 27... Raf8.
Puzzle rating 1370
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, clearance, kingside attack
Show solution
28. Rxf7 Rxf7 29. Re8+ Rf8 30. Qxf8#
FEN: 5rk1/1pp1Rr1p/5ppQ/3p1q2/p1nB4/2P5/PP3PPP/4R2K w - - 6 28
Puzzle 8: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 25. Qf3.
Puzzle rating 1446
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, discovered check, double check
Show solution
25... Rc1+ 26. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 27. Ka2 Nb4#
FEN: 2r5/kp3p2/p1r1bp1b/3n3p/3PN3/P4Q1P/1P3PP1/1K1R1B1R b - - 4 25
Puzzle 9: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 38. Qg4.
Puzzle rating 1534
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, sacrifice, endgame tactic
Show solution
38... Qxf2+ 39. Rxf2 Re1+ 40. Rf1 Rexf1#
FEN: 5rk1/R5p1/5q1p/8/3p2Q1/1P6/P3rPPP/5RK1 b - - 3 38
Puzzle 10: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 39. Qxc3.
Puzzle rating 1660
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, attraction (decoy), sacrifice
Show solution
39... Rh1+ 40. Kxh1 Qh4+ 41. Kg1 Qh2#
FEN: 8/2R5/bp2P3/1k1p1P2/1q6/2Q1P1p1/3N2Pr/5RK1 b - - 0 39
Puzzle 11: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 26. Rxd7.
Puzzle rating 1666
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, fork, middlegame tactic
Show solution
26... Qxf2+ 27. Kh1 Qe1+ 28. Qf1 Qxf1#
FEN: 8/pp1R2bk/2p3pp/2P2p2/1PQ3nq/2N1P3/PB3PPP/6K1 b - - 0 26
Puzzle 12: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 24... Kg8.
Puzzle rating 1782
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, attraction (decoy), kingside attack
Show solution
25. Rxf8+ Kxf8 26. Qxg7+ Ke8 27. Nf6#
FEN: 2rr1bk1/pp4pp/1qn5/4P2N/1P1P2Q1/P3P2P/6P1/5RK1 w - - 2 25
Puzzle 13: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 25... exd4.
Puzzle rating 1816
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Opera mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
26. Qxh7+ Kxh7 27. Rh4+ Kg8 28. Rxh8#
FEN: r3r1kb/pp3p1p/1qp2Bp1/8/3pR2Q/2P4P/PP3PP1/1R4K1 w - - 0 26
Puzzle 14: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 34... Kh8.
Puzzle rating 1945
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Arabian mate, exposed king
Show solution
35. Rh2+ Rh3 36. Rxh3+ Nxh3 37. Rh7#
FEN: 3r3k/R7/p3pN2/1p2n1n1/8/4r3/P1P3R1/1K6 w - - 1 35
Puzzle 15: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 17. O-O.
Puzzle rating 1963
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, sacrifice, kingside attack
Show solution
17... Nf3+ 18. gxf3 Rg8+ 19. Kh1 Bxf3#
FEN: 7r/ppp5/2bk1p2/4p3/2Pn4/NP6/P2P1PPP/R4RK1 b - - 1 17
Puzzle 16: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 38. Qxe4.
Puzzle rating 2042
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, epaulette mate, fork
Show solution
38... Qe1+ 39. Kc2 Qc1+ 40. Kxd3 Qd1#
FEN: 8/6k1/5p2/p7/2P1Q3/2PnP3/P2KPq2/5B2 b - - 0 38
Puzzle 17: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 28. Rg1.
Puzzle rating 2152
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, sacrifice, kingside attack
Show solution
28... Qxg2+ 29. Rxg2 Rb1+ 30. Rg1 Bf3#
FEN: 4Q3/pp4pk/8/2pNp2p/4P1b1/3P2P1/Pr3qBP/6RK b - - 5 28
Puzzle 18: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 19... Kd7.
Puzzle rating 2272
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, X-ray attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
20. Bb5+ c6 21. Bxc6+ bxc6 22. Qxc6#
FEN: Q2r3r/1ppkbppp/3p3n/3P4/4PP2/5P1P/P2BBK2/7q w - - 2 20
Puzzle 19: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 23... Kg7.
Puzzle rating 2344
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, fork, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
24. Rxf7+ Rxf7 25. Qxg6+ Kh8 26. Nxf7#
FEN: r4r2/1b3pkn/p5pN/1ppn2Q1/7N/P2P4/BqP4P/R4RK1 w - - 4 24
Puzzle 20: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 35... Kg5.
Puzzle rating 2431
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, quiet move, rook endgame
Show solution
36. Rdf1 d4 37. Rg4+ Kh6 38. Rh1#
FEN: 3r4/p2r4/8/1p1p2k1/1P3R2/6K1/P7/3R4 w - - 1 36