Opera mate chess puzzles
20 Opera mate puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a Opera mate in chess?
The Opera mate, named after Morphy’s famous game at the Paris opera, is a rook mate on the back rank supported by a bishop from a distance.
How to spot a Opera mate
Look for a king on the back rank with its escape square covered and a long diagonal bishop that protects the square where your rook will check.
Opera mate chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 17... Rxd8.
Puzzle rating 593
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Opera mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
18. Rxd8#
FEN: 3rk1nr/pp3p2/n1p2B2/4p2p/4P3/2N5/PPP2P1P/3R1K2 w k - 0 18
Puzzle 2: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 33... Kf7.
Puzzle rating 651
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Opera mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
34. Rf8#
FEN: 2R5/p2r1kpp/1p2ppb1/3n4/5P1N/BP3PK1/P6P/8 w - - 9 34
Puzzle 3: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 60. Rb6.
Puzzle rating 737
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Opera mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
60... Rc3#
FEN: 3B4/6p1/pRp3k1/2P1b1p1/PPK3P1/5r2/8/8 b - - 4 60
Puzzle 4: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 13... Nxb3.
Puzzle rating 835
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Opera mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
14. Rd8#
FEN: r1b1k1nr/ppp2ppp/6q1/4p1B1/1PB5/1n6/P4PPP/RN1R2K1 w kq - 0 14
Puzzle 5: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 22... Bd4.
Puzzle rating 991
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Opera mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
23. Rh6#
FEN: r7/ppp1r2k/3pbR2/8/3b4/8/PPPB1P1P/2K3R1 w - - 3 23
Puzzle 6: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 12... Ke7.
Puzzle rating 1063
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Opera mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
13. Re8#
FEN: 1rbR2nr/p1p1kpbp/1pB1p1p1/4P3/8/2N2N2/PPP2PPP/4K2R w K - 6 13
Puzzle 7: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 41. Kf2.
Puzzle rating 1151
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Opera mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
41... Rf1#
FEN: 4r3/B7/p6k/1bP5/5N1P/4nBP1/P2R1K2/4r3 b - - 6 41
Puzzle 8: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 21... Nxh7.
Puzzle rating 1175
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Opera mate, Pillsbury’s mate
Show solution
22. Rxe8+ Nf8 23. Rxf8#
FEN: 2R1r1k1/p4ppn/1p6/1P1p1Bq1/1B1Pn3/8/P4PPP/6K1 w - - 0 22
Puzzle 9: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 44. Ke2.
Puzzle rating 1272
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Opera mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
44... R8f2#
FEN: 5rk1/4R3/3p3Q/2b5/1p6/1P1P2PP/P3K3/R4r2 b - - 15 44
Puzzle 10: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 52. Nxf7.
Puzzle rating 1454
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Opera mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
52... Re8#
FEN: 1r6/R3KNk1/6p1/4p3/b3P2P/5P2/3r4/5R2 b - - 0 52
Puzzle 11: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 36... Bxa4.
Puzzle rating 1507
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Opera mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
37. Rd8+ Ke7 38. Re8#
FEN: 5k2/5pp1/1KB1p3/p3P3/b1r2P1P/8/3R3P/8 w - - 0 37
Puzzle 12: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 23. Qxf6.
Puzzle rating 1643
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Opera mate, sacrifice
Show solution
23... Rxe1+ 24. Rxe1 Qd1+ 25. Rxd1 Rxd1#
FEN: 3rr1k1/3q1p1p/p4Q1B/1p5b/2p4P/P7/1PP3P1/2K1R2R b - - 0 23
Puzzle 13: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 24... Rxc7.
Puzzle rating 1708
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Opera mate, pin
Show solution
25. Re8#
FEN: 5kqr/p1r2b1p/5Q2/1Bb2pp1/8/8/PPP3PP/4R2K w - - 0 25
Puzzle 14: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 25. exd5.
Puzzle rating 1754
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Opera mate, Pillsbury’s mate
Show solution
25... Rf1#
FEN: 5r1k/pp5p/2p3p1/3P4/1P1b4/2PB2Pb/P2Q1r1P/3RR1K1 b - - 0 25
Puzzle 15: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 23. Rc1.
Puzzle rating 1903
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Opera mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
23... Qxc1+ 24. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 25. Kxc1 Rd1#
FEN: 2rr4/2q1kppQ/p7/1p2N3/5P2/Pb6/1P4PP/1KR4R b - - 1 23
Puzzle 16: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 25. Rxd8.
Puzzle rating 1913
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Opera mate, discovered check
Show solution
25... Qh1+ 26. Kxh1 Bxe4+ 27. Kg1 Rh1#
FEN: 3R3r/p4kpb/2Q1p3/8/1b2PB2/2N4q/P1P2P2/5RK1 b - - 0 25
Puzzle 17: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 23. exf4.
Puzzle rating 2050
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Opera mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
23... Qxh2+ 24. Kxh2 Rh6+ 25. Kg1 Rh1#
FEN: r5k1/1bp4p/p2bpr1q/Np3pp1/1P1P1P2/PB1Q2P1/1B3P1P/2R2RK1 b - - 0 23
Puzzle 18: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 23. Qc6.
Puzzle rating 2064
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Opera mate, sacrifice
Show solution
23... Qxf2+ 24. Rxf2 Rd1+ 25. Rf1 Rxf1#
FEN: 3r2k1/p4ppp/2Q2q2/2R5/3N4/3bP3/PP1r1PPP/5RK1 b - - 8 23
Puzzle 19: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 20... Rd8.
Puzzle rating 2284
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Opera mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
21. Rxc7+ Kxc7 22. Bb6+ Kc8 23. Rxd8#
FEN: 2kr4/1pp2pp1/p4n2/P3n2p/q7/4B1PP/1P3PBK/2RR4 w - - 2 21
Puzzle 20: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 13... exf4.
Puzzle rating 2299
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, Opera mate, discovered check
Show solution
14. Qxe6+ Kd8 15. Qe8+ Kxe8 16. Bh5+ Kd8 17. Re8#
FEN: r1b1kb1r/1pqn2pp/p3p3/3p4/5p2/2N1Q3/PPP1BPPP/R3R1K1 w kq - 0 14