Pillsbury’s mate chess puzzles
20 Pillsbury’s mate puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a Pillsbury’s mate in chess?
Pillsbury’s mate combines a rook on the g- or h-file with a bishop on the long diagonal against a castled king whose g-pawn has gone.
How to spot a Pillsbury’s mate
Look for an open g-file in front of the enemy king and a bishop on b2 or b7 aiming at the corner.
Pillsbury’s mate chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 20. Rxd4.
Puzzle rating 598
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Pillsbury’s mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
20... Re1#
FEN: r3r2k/pp3ppB/2pb1n2/3n4/1P1R4/P4Q1P/5PP1/RNB3K1 b - - 0 20
Puzzle 2: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 19. Kxa2.
Puzzle rating 673
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Pillsbury’s mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
19... Ra4#
FEN: 4k2r/3pbppp/p3pn2/1p2B3/2rPb3/1NP2N1P/KP1Q1PP1/3R3R b k - 0 19
Puzzle 3: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 32... axb4.
Puzzle rating 726
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Pillsbury’s mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
33. Ra8+ Bc8 34. Rxc8#
FEN: 6k1/R4pp1/b2p3p/1p1Pp3/1p2B2P/r2P2P1/5P1K/8 w - - 0 33
Puzzle 4: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 35. Rxf7.
Puzzle rating 905
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Pillsbury’s mate, X-ray attack
Show solution
35... Rxf1+ 36. Rxf1 Rxf1#
FEN: 1b3r1k/1p3Rp1/7p/P4r2/3pP1Q1/2pP3P/2P3P1/5R1K b - - 0 35
Puzzle 5: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 24. Qc7.
Puzzle rating 936
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Pillsbury’s mate, clearance
Show solution
24... Ng3+ 25. hxg3 Rh5#
FEN: 1r5k/2Q4p/p2p2p1/2bN1r1n/2P5/1P3P2/P5PP/5R1K b - - 1 24
Puzzle 6: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 30. Kg2.
Puzzle rating 990
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Pillsbury’s mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
30... Bf3+ 31. Kh3 Rh1#
FEN: 5rk1/1pp3p1/6Bp/p3R3/6b1/P5P1/1P3PK1/1RBr4 b - - 2 30
Puzzle 7: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 25. Rd1.
Puzzle rating 1107
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Pillsbury’s mate, sacrifice
Show solution
25... Qxf2+ 26. Kh1 Qf1+ 27. Rxf1 Rxf1#
FEN: 5rk1/1B1P3p/1p4p1/p3b3/Q2p4/B6P/P2q1PP1/3R2K1 b - - 1 25
Puzzle 8: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 17... Rg8.
Puzzle rating 1160
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Pillsbury’s mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
18. Rd8#
FEN: r1k2br1/1b3Npp/1p2p3/1pp1B3/8/1P6/P1P2PPP/3R1RK1 w - - 1 18
Puzzle 9: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 49. Rxf4.
Puzzle rating 1284
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, Pillsbury’s mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
49... Rd8#
FEN: 4r3/8/1k1KPb2/7R/5R1P/1P3P2/8/8 b - - 0 49
Puzzle 10: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 30... Bf8.
Puzzle rating 1379
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Pillsbury’s mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
31. Qxf8+ Kxf8 32. Rc8+ Rd8 33. Rxd8#
FEN: 1Q3bk1/4pp1p/6p1/6q1/1P2n3/4N3/1B1r1rPP/1RR3K1 w - - 2 31
Puzzle 11: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 31... Rxg2.
Puzzle rating 1542
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Pillsbury’s mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
32. Be5+ Kg8 33. Rb8#
FEN: 7k/7p/8/8/6p1/4b1B1/r5rP/1R3R1K w - - 0 32
Puzzle 12: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 21... Nxd4.
Puzzle rating 1571
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Pillsbury’s mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
22. Qxh7+ Kxh7 23. Rh3+ Bh4 24. Rxh4#
FEN: r4r1k/1bq3pp/p3Bb2/1p3P1Q/3n4/P1NR4/1P3PPP/5RK1 w - - 0 22
Puzzle 13: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 24... Kc8.
Puzzle rating 1696
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Opera mate, Pillsbury’s mate
Show solution
25. Rf8+ Kd7 26. Rd8#
FEN: 2k3nr/ppB2R2/3P4/2bB2p1/6b1/2N3p1/Pq5P/7K w - - 2 25
Puzzle 14: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 28. Re7.
Puzzle rating 1783
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Pillsbury’s mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
28... Qxb1+ 29. Kxb1 Rd1#
FEN: 1k1r4/p3R1p1/2Q2n2/1p3P1p/2b3nP/7B/1PP5/qNK3NR b - - 8 28
Puzzle 15: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 28... Rd6.
Puzzle rating 1890
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Pillsbury’s mate, X-ray attack
Show solution
29. Qe8+ Rxe8 30. Rxe8#
FEN: 2Rr2k1/3Q1pp1/3rp2p/p5q1/1b2B3/1P5P/P4PP1/5RK1 w - - 4 29
Puzzle 16: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 14. Rc1.
Puzzle rating 1974
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Pillsbury’s mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
14... Nxf3+ 15. exf3 Bb4+ 16. Ke2 Re8#
FEN: N4b1r/pp3ppp/5k2/4n3/8/5N2/PPb1PPPP/2R1KB1R b K - 1 14
Puzzle 17: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 23. Rf1.
Puzzle rating 2060
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Pillsbury’s mate, sacrifice
Show solution
23... Bd2+ 24. Nxd2 Re3#
FEN: 4kr2/1p4pp/8/2p3b1/2N1P1b1/N1Pr2P1/PP5P/R3KR2 b Q - 3 23
Puzzle 18: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 30... Rxc2.
Puzzle rating 2098
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, Pillsbury’s mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
31. Rb8+ Kg7 32. Bf8+ Kf6 33. Rb6+ Bc6 34. Rxc6#
FEN: 6k1/5p1p/1R4p1/1pB5/2p2PPP/P5K1/2r3b1/2b5 w - - 0 31
Puzzle 19: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 37... Kh6.
Puzzle rating 2273
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Pillsbury’s mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
38. g5+ fxg5 39. Rc6+ g6 40. Rxg6#
FEN: 2R3B1/6p1/5p1k/2p2P1p/3p2PP/3b4/5K2/2r5 w - - 2 38
Puzzle 20: Black to move and mate in 5
Black to move and mate in 5. The opponent just played 52. a7.
Puzzle rating 2514
Hint
Show solution
52... Be8 53. Bxf5 Rd8+ 54. Bd7 Rdxd7+ 55. Kxc6 Re6+ 56. Kb5 Rb7#
FEN: r4k2/P2br3/2pK4/R1Pp1pP1/5P1P/3BP3/8/R7 b - - 0 52