10 back rank mates rated between 400 and 799, averaging 600. 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 600 is one that players around 600 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.
Ra8#
Qe1+ Rxe1 Rxe1#
Rb1+ Bd1 Rxd1+ Rf1 Rxf1#
Rxd8+ Bxd8 Re8#
Qxe1+ Rxe1 Rxe1#
Qxh8#
Re8+ Rxe8 Rxe8#
Rd1+ Rf1 Rxf1#
Rxd1+ Re1 Rxe1#
Qxe8+ Rxe8 Rxe8#
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 600 is one that players rated around 600 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 600, 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.