Mate in 2 puzzles

Force checkmate in two moves.

Level

Solved 0Streak 0Best streak 0

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Click a piece and then a square, or drag it. Arrow keys and Enter work too, Esc puts a piece back and N goes to the next puzzle.

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How to solve mate in 2 puzzles

  1. After the opponent’s move, you have a forced checkmate in two moves. Play your first move by clicking or dragging.
  2. The opponent makes their best defense. Then find the move that gives checkmate.
  3. The first move has to be the one that works against every defense; on the second move, any checkmate counts.

Patterns that win in two

  • Sacrifice a piece with check to pull the king onto a bad square or remove a defender, then deliver mate.
  • Play a quiet move, then mate: a move that isn’t check but cuts off the king’s last escape, so the mate can’t be stopped.
  • Deflection forces a defending piece away from the square it guards, then mates on that square.
  • On the back rank, remove or distract the piece guarding it, then check along it.

Tips

  • Picture where your pieces would need to be for checkmate, then look for the move that gets them there.
  • Before you play a move, go through every reply the opponent has: checks, captures and blocks.
  • When you miss, look at the position again before you press Show solution. A line you find yourself is easier to remember.

About these puzzles

The positions come from real games, taken from the Lichess puzzle database (public domain) and checked by an engine to contain a forced mate in two. Only well-tested, popular puzzles are used.