10 back rank mates rated between 2000 and 2199, averaging 2081. 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 2000-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 2000 is one that players around 2000 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.
Re1+ Bf1 Ne2+ Kh1 Rxf1#
Qc1+ Rxc1 Rxc1+ Qd1 Rxd1#
Qc4+ Kh8 Rxc8+ Rxc8 Qxc8#
Qxf1+ Rxf1 Ne2+ Kh1 Rxf1#
Qf7+ Kh8 Qf8+ Rxf8 Rxf8#
Rd8+ Re8 Bc5+ Kg8 Rxe8#
Qc6+ Rxc6 Bxc6+ Kf8 Rd8#
Qxd5+ Kh8 Qd8+ Rxd8 Rxd8#
Qxf7+ Rxf7 Re8+ Nf8 Ne7+ Kh8 Rxf8+ Rxf8 Rxf8#
Rf2+ Kc1 Qf4+ Kb1 Rf1+ Rxf1 Qxf1#
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 2000 is one that players rated around 2000 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 2081, so they suit 2000-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.