Queen and rook endgame chess puzzles
20 queen and rook endgame puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a queen and rook endgame in chess?
Endgames with queens and rooks still on the board are full of mating attacks on exposed kings and back-rank tactics.
How to spot a queen and rook endgame
Look for checks that combine queen and rook, and keep your own back rank safe before you attack.
Learn it first: Queen endings and queen vs pawn
Queen and rook endgame chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 41. Rxc3.
Puzzle rating 614
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, exposed king, queen and rook endgame
Show solution
41... Ra1+ 42. Qb1 Rxb1+ 43. Rc1 Rxc1#
FEN: 8/8/7R/5Qp1/r6P/2R2Pk1/8/6K1 b - - 0 41
Puzzle 2: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 28. Rxg2.
Puzzle rating 665
Hint
Show solution
28... Rd1+ 29. Rg1 Rdxg1#
FEN: 3r2k1/p4p2/5P1p/8/2P3rp/Q7/PP4RP/7K b - - 0 28
Puzzle 3: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 35. Rxc8.
Puzzle rating 734
Hint
Show solution
35... Re1#
FEN: 2R1r3/pk3P1p/1p1Q2p1/3p4/8/P7/5PPP/6K1 b - - 0 35
Puzzle 4: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 46... Qxe5.
Puzzle rating 955
Hint
Show solution
47. Rh4+ Qh5 48. Rxh5#
FEN: 2r2r1k/p7/5p2/3Pq3/2P3R1/1P6/P5R1/7K w - - 0 47
Puzzle 5: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 36... e4.
Puzzle rating 959
Hint
Theme: fork, defensive move, queen and rook endgame
Show solution
37. Rxf7+ Qxf7 38. Rxf7+ Kxf7 39. a5
FEN: 8/R2R1pk1/2p3p1/7p/P3p3/6P1/1P3q2/7K w - - 0 37
Puzzle 6: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 32. Rxd8.
Puzzle rating 1117
Hint
Show solution
32... Rc1+ 33. Rd1 Rxd1#
FEN: 3R1r2/7Q/1pr1kp2/p3p3/8/6R1/P4PPP/6K1 b - - 0 32
Puzzle 7: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 58. Red1.
Puzzle rating 1207
Hint
Show solution
58... Qh3 59. e4 Qg2#
FEN: 8/8/4q3/8/8/4PkP1/p4P2/R2R2K1 b - - 7 58
Puzzle 8: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 33. Kh5.
Puzzle rating 1257
Hint
Show solution
33... Rf5+ 34. Kg6 Rg5#
FEN: 7k/5Qp1/5p2/p6K/2Pr4/PP6/4R1PP/5r2 b - - 4 33
Puzzle 9: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 65. Rxf2+.
Puzzle rating 1381
Hint
Theme: promotion, advanced pawn, queen and rook endgame
Show solution
65... gxf2 66. Kh2 f1=Q
FEN: 8/8/7Q/1p2r3/2p1P3/2P3pP/P3kRP1/7K b - - 0 65
Puzzle 10: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 45... Rg5.
Puzzle rating 1467
Hint
Theme: pin, queen and rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
46. Qh7+ Kd8 47. Qh4 Kc7 48. Qxg5
FEN: 8/3pk3/1pr1p3/4P1r1/8/P2Q4/KP6/8 w - - 2 46
Puzzle 11: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 44. Re2.
Puzzle rating 1594
Hint
Theme: advanced pawn, queen and rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
44... a2 45. Rxa2 Qxa2
FEN: 5R2/6pk/7p/2Pq4/8/p6P/4RPPK/8 b - - 2 44
Puzzle 12: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 52... c1=Q.
Puzzle rating 1748
Hint
Show solution
53. f6+ Kh8 54. Rb8+ Qc8 55. Rxc8+ Rd8 56. Rxd8#
FEN: 8/5pkp/1R6/5PPP/p7/1p6/4K3/2qr4 w - - 0 53
Puzzle 13: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 41. Kb1.
Puzzle rating 1839
Hint
Theme: pin, queen and rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
41... Rab8+ 42. Kc2 Rec8+ 43. Kd3 Rd8 44. Qxd8 Rxd8+
FEN: r3r3/8/8/3Q4/5P2/p5k1/P7/1K6 b - - 1 41
Puzzle 14: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 43. g4.
Puzzle rating 1919
Hint
Theme: fork, sacrifice, queen and rook endgame
Show solution
43... Re5+ 44. Qxe5+ f6+ 45. Qxf6+ Rxf6
FEN: 8/5pk1/1r2r1p1/1PQ3Kp/6PP/5P2/8/8 b - - 0 43
Puzzle 15: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 32. b6.
Puzzle rating 1975
Hint
Theme: fork, queen and rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
32... Qh6 33. Kxg2 Qg6+ 34. Rg3 Qxb1
FEN: 5k2/6p1/1P3q2/p7/P7/4R3/5Pp1/1R4K1 b - - 0 32
Puzzle 16: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 53. Kh2.
Puzzle rating 2159
Hint
Show solution
53... g3+ 54. Kh3 Rc1 55. Qa8+ Rg8
FEN: 7k/6r1/Q7/8/6p1/2r5/P5PK/8 b - - 1 53
Puzzle 17: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 52... Qxa4.
Puzzle rating 2240
Hint
Show solution
53. Rf8+ Kg7 54. Rdf1
FEN: 7k/p1p5/2P4p/1P5P/q7/3pK3/8/3R1R2 w - - 0 53
Puzzle 18: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 37. Qxb7.
Puzzle rating 2315
Hint
Theme: fork, queen and rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
37... Rf1+ 38. Kc2 Rf2+ 39. Kb3 Rb6+ 40. Qxb6 axb6
FEN: 5rk1/pQ6/6rp/2p5/2PpP3/3P4/PP6/1K6 b - - 0 37
Puzzle 19: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 39. Rxb6.
Puzzle rating 2467
Hint
Show solution
39... h5 40. h4 Qxh4+ 41. Rh3 Qf4+ 42. Kg1 Qc1+
FEN: 3k4/7p/1R6/8/4pq2/P5RP/1P4PK/8 b - - 0 39
Puzzle 20: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 49... f6.
Puzzle rating 2488
Hint
Show solution
50. Qc8+ Kh7 51. Qb7+ Kh8 52. Qb1
FEN: 6k1/8/4ppr1/2Q3P1/7P/8/r7/6K1 w - - 0 50