Mate in 2 Chess Puzzles — Rated 1400

10 mate-in-two puzzles rated between 1400 and 1599, averaging 1473. 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.

Mate in two: one forcing move, any legal reply, then mate. The discipline is to check every opponent reply rather than only the one you expect, because a mate in two that fails to one defence is not a mate in two.

These are pitched at 1400-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1400 is one that players around 1400 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.

Mate in 2 puzzles rated 1400

  1. Mate in 2 puzzle 1, rated 1453h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 1 · rated 1453 · Black to play after Rg1
    Show solution

    Rxh3+ Kxh3 Rh4#

  2. Mate in 2 puzzle 2, rated 1419h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 2 · rated 1419 · Black to play after dxe6
    Show solution

    Qa8+ Qf3 Qxf3#

  3. Mate in 2 puzzle 3, rated 1496a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 3 · rated 1496 · White to play after gxf3
    Show solution

    Nxg6+ fxg6 Qg8#

  4. Mate in 2 puzzle 4, rated 1534h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 4 · rated 1534 · Black to play after Bxg6
    Show solution

    Qc3+ Kxa2 Qb2#

  5. Mate in 2 puzzle 5, rated 1429a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 5 · rated 1429 · White to play after Nxe4
    Show solution

    Rxh7+ Kxh7 Qh5#

  6. Mate in 2 puzzle 6, rated 1424a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 6 · rated 1424 · White to play after exd3
    Show solution

    Nf6+ Kg7 Rh7#

  7. Mate in 2 puzzle 7, rated 1513a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 7 · rated 1513 · White to play after Qxf4
    Show solution

    Qh8+ Kg5 Qxh4#

  8. Mate in 2 puzzle 8, rated 1490a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 8 · rated 1490 · White to play after Qd5
    Show solution

    Qxh6+ Kg8 Qxg7#

  9. Mate in 2 puzzle 9, rated 1401a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 9 · rated 1401 · White to play after Kxh8
    Show solution

    g7+ Kxg7 Qh7#

  10. Mate in 2 puzzle 10, rated 1573a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 10 · rated 1573 · White to play after g5
    Show solution

    Qh3+ Kg6 Qxh7#

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Frequently asked questions

What is a mate in 2 in chess?

Mate in two: one forcing move, any legal reply, then mate. The discipline is to check every opponent reply rather than only the one you expect, because a mate in two that fails to one defence is not a mate in two.

What does a puzzle rating of 1400 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1400 is one that players rated around 1400 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1473, so they suit 1400-rated players.

Are these mate in 2 puzzles free?

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.