10 back rank mates rated between 1200 and 1399, averaging 1317. Each position below is from a real game, with the solution given underneath — so you can check yourself immediately rather than guessing whether you were right.
A back rank mate exploits a king trapped behind its own unmoved pawns. The pattern is worth knowing in both directions: it is the most common mate in club chess, and the reason a single luft move can be worth a tempo.
These are pitched at beginners. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1200 is one that players around 1200 solve about half the time, so if you are getting most of these you should move up a band.
Solving from a page is good for pattern recognition but not for tracking progress. The rated puzzle trainer serves puzzles matched to your own rating and adjusts as you solve, and the Mistake Trainer builds puzzles from positions you actually got wrong in your own games.
Qxc8+ Rxc8 Rxc8+ Qd8 Rxd8#
Qc1+ Ne1 Qxe1#
Rxd8+ Rxd8 Qe8+ Rxe8 Rxe8#
Qd7+ Kb8 Qd8+ Rxd8 Rxd8#
Qh2+ Kf1 Qh1+ Nxh1 Rxh1#
Qd7+ Kb8 Qd8+ Rxd8 Rxd8#
Qxf1+ Rxf1 Re1+ Rxe1 Rxe1#
Qe1+ Rxe1 Rxe1#
Qf8+ Rxf8 Rxf8#
Qf7+ Kh8 Qf8+ Rxf8 Rxf8#
Train back rank mate puzzles at your rating →
A back rank mate exploits a king trapped behind its own unmoved pawns. The pattern is worth knowing in both directions: it is the most common mate in club chess, and the reason a single luft move can be worth a tempo.
Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1200 is one that players rated around 1200 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1317, so they suit beginners.
Yes. Every puzzle on this page, including its solution, is free to view with no account. The rated trainer that tracks your progress and serves puzzles matched to your rating is part of Chess Ramp Premium.