Smothered mate chess puzzles
20 smothered mate puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a smothered mate in chess?
In a smothered mate a knight checks a king that is completely surrounded by its own pieces, so it cannot move. The classic version uses a queen sacrifice to force a rook onto the king’s last free square.
How to spot a smothered mate
Look for a king in the corner (h8, g8, a8) hemmed in by its own rook and pawns, and a knight that can reach f7, g6 or h6 with check.
Learn it first: Ladder mate and classic patterns
Smothered mate chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 29... Rxg8.
Puzzle rating 654
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
30. Nf7#
FEN: 6rk/1p4pp/pbp5/6N1/4PP2/8/B2q2PP/4R2K w - - 0 30
Puzzle 2: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 12... Rg8.
Puzzle rating 681
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, kingside attack
Show solution
13. Nxf7#
FEN: r2q2rk/pppn1pbp/4p3/3pNp2/3P1B2/4P3/PPP2PPP/R2Q1RK1 w - - 2 13
Puzzle 3: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 15... Rxg8.
Puzzle rating 713
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
16. Nf7#
FEN: r1bq2rk/ppp3pp/2n2n2/6N1/2BP4/7P/PP1N1PP1/R4RK1 w - - 0 16
Puzzle 4: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 34. Rxg1.
Puzzle rating 723
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
34... Nf2#
FEN: 6k1/1p3ppp/4p3/3pP3/5P1Q/1P4Pn/P5BP/6RK b - - 0 34
Puzzle 5: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 37. Rxg1.
Puzzle rating 739
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
37... Nf2#
FEN: 4Q3/6pk/7p/3p4/4p3/7n/P5PP/6RK b - - 0 37
Puzzle 6: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 14... Bd7.
Puzzle rating 782
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, opening tactic
Show solution
15. Nxd6#
FEN: r2qkb1r/3bnp1p/p2p2p1/3Pp3/Q1N5/4B3/PP3PPP/R3KB1R w KQkq - 2 15
Puzzle 7: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 17. Rxg1.
Puzzle rating 834
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
17... Nf2#
FEN: r3k2r/p2p1ppp/b1p5/4p3/QP2P3/2P2N1n/P2N2PP/R5RK b kq - 0 17
Puzzle 8: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 27... Rxg8.
Puzzle rating 880
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
28. Nf7#
FEN: 2q3rk/p2np1bp/1pr3pN/4Pp1n/3P4/BP3NP1/P6P/R3R1K1 w - - 0 28
Puzzle 9: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 30. Rxb1.
Puzzle rating 909
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
30... Nc2#
FEN: 6k1/ppp2p1p/5p2/5N2/5bPP/n7/PP3P2/KR6 b - - 0 30
Puzzle 10: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 38... Rxg8.
Puzzle rating 936
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
39. Nf7#
FEN: 6rk/p5pp/1pR4N/8/P4P1q/1P1P3P/4p2K/4R3 w - - 0 39
Puzzle 11: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 26. Rxg1.
Puzzle rating 965
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
26... Nf2#
FEN: 4r1k1/p2Q2bp/4p1p1/1p2r1B1/8/1P5n/P5PP/4R1RK b - - 0 26
Puzzle 12: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 14... Ne7.
Puzzle rating 999
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
15. Nxf6#
FEN: r2qkb1r/3bnp2/p2p1p2/1p1NpP1p/4P3/1N6/PPPQB1PP/R4RK1 w kq - 2 15
Puzzle 13: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 15... Nb8.
Puzzle rating 1112
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
16. Na7#
FEN: 1nkrqb1r/1ppb3p/1n2ppp1/pN6/P2P4/1BP1BQ2/1P3PPP/R4RK1 w - - 4 16
Puzzle 14: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 8... hxg5.
Puzzle rating 1171
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, pin
Show solution
9. Nd6#
FEN: r1bqkb1r/pp1nppp1/2p5/6p1/4N3/8/PPP1QPPP/R3KBNR w KQkq - 0 9
Puzzle 15: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 19. Bd4.
Puzzle rating 1190
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, smothered mate, queenside attack
Show solution
19... Qa1+ 20. Nb1 Na2#
FEN: 3r3r/1b1nbk1p/p2p4/q4N2/1n1BP1P1/2N2P2/1PPQ3P/2KR3R b - - 1 19
Puzzle 16: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 34... Nh4.
Puzzle rating 1279
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, smothered mate, sacrifice
Show solution
35. Qg8+ Rxg8 36. Nf7#
FEN: 3rr2k/5Qpp/p6N/1p6/3Nq2n/2P4n/1P4P1/3R1R1K w - - 3 35
Puzzle 17: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 27... Kh8.
Puzzle rating 1331
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, smothered mate, sacrifice
Show solution
28. Qg8+ Rxg8 29. Nf7#
FEN: 5r1k/pp4bp/1qn1Q3/5pNp/2B5/1P2P1P1/P4P2/6K1 w - - 1 28
Puzzle 18: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 11... Nbd7.
Puzzle rating 1528
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, pin
Show solution
12. Nxd6#
FEN: r2qkb1r/1p1npb2/p2p1n1p/2pP2p1/2P1N3/3B4/PP3PPP/RNBQR1K1 w kq - 2 12
Puzzle 19: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 21... Kh8.
Puzzle rating 1529
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, smothered mate, sacrifice
Show solution
22. Qg8+ Rxg8 23. Nf7#
FEN: r2q1r1k/4N1bp/p2p2p1/2p3N1/Pp4P1/1Q5P/1P1n1P2/5RK1 w - - 1 22
Puzzle 20: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 20... Raxc8.
Puzzle rating 1950
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, smothered mate, fork
Show solution
21. Bxe6+ Rf7 22. Qxf7+ Kh8 23. Qg8+ Rxg8 24. Nf7#
FEN: 2r2rk1/pp4pp/n3p3/3pN2Q/3q4/7B/P1P4P/2K5 w - - 0 21