10 back rank mates rated between 1800 and 1999, averaging 1903. 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 1800-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1800 is one that players around 1800 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.
Rxg1+ Kxg1 Re1+ Rf1 Bd4+ Kh1 Rxf1#
Qxc8+ Bxc8 Re8#
Qxf7+ Rxf7 Rd8+ Rf8 Bxe6+ Kh8 Rxf8#
Qxc2+ Nxc2 Rd1+ Rxd1 Rxd1#
Rg2+ Nxg2 Qf2+ Kh1 Qf1+ Rxf1 Rxf1#
Nf7+ Rxf7 Re8+ Rf8 Rxf8#
Qxf1+ Rxf1 Ne2+ Kh1 Rxf1#
Rd1+ Rf1 Be3+ Kh1 Rxf1#
Rxf1+ Kxf1 Rc1+ Re1 Qa6+ Kg1 Rxe1#
Rxg8+ Kxg8 Bd5+ Kh8 Rf8#
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 1800 is one that players rated around 1800 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1903, so they suit 1800-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.