10 back rank mates rated between 1600 and 1799, averaging 1677. 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 1600-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1600 is one that players around 1600 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.
Rc1+ Rf1 Bc5+ Re3 Bxe3+ Kh1 Rxf1#
Rd1+ Rf1 Qd4+ Kh1 Rxf1#
Nd2+ Kg1 Re1+ Rxe1 Rxe1#
Qxd2+ Kf1 Bxe2+ Nxe2 Qd1+ Rxd1 Rxd1#
Qxc8+ Bxc8 Re8#
Qxf7+ Rxf7 Rc8+ Rf8 Be6+ Kh8 Rxf8#
Qc8+ Rxc8 Rxc8+ Qd8 Rxd8#
Qc7+ Ka8 Qc8+ Rxc8 Rxc8#
Qxh2+ Kf1 Qh1+ Nxh1 Rxh1#
Qxf8+ Kxf8 Nd7+ Kg8 Re8#
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 1600 is one that players rated around 1600 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1677, so they suit 1600-rated players.
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.