Mate in 2 Chess Puzzles — Rated 800

10 mate-in-two puzzles rated between 800 and 999, averaging 940. 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 beginners. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 800 is one that players around 800 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 800

  1. Mate in 2 puzzle 1, rated 975a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 1 · rated 975 · White to play after gxf5
    Show solution

    Qh6+ Kh8 Qxh7#

  2. Mate in 2 puzzle 2, rated 968a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 2 · rated 968 · White to play after g6
    Show solution

    Rd8+ Kh7 Qg8#

  3. Mate in 2 puzzle 3, rated 906h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 3 · rated 906 · Black to play after Rb3
    Show solution

    Rh7+ Bh6 Rxh6#

  4. Mate in 2 puzzle 4, rated 964a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 4 · rated 964 · White to play after hxg5
    Show solution

    Nxf6+ Qxf6 Qh7#

  5. Mate in 2 puzzle 5, rated 954a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 5 · rated 954 · White to play after cxd5
    Show solution

    Ra6+ Rc6 Rxc6#

  6. Mate in 2 puzzle 6, rated 964a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 6 · rated 964 · White to play after Qxc6
    Show solution

    Qxf7+ Kh8 Qxg7#

  7. Mate in 2 puzzle 7, rated 882h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 7 · rated 882 · Black to play after Rxd1
    Show solution

    Rxd1+ Kg2 Rxe2#

  8. Mate in 2 puzzle 8, rated 868h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 8 · rated 868 · Black to play after Be3
    Show solution

    Qxc1+ Bxc1 Rf1#

  9. Mate in 2 puzzle 9, rated 990h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 9 · rated 990 · Black to play after Kf1
    Show solution

    Qxe1+ Kg2 Qf2#

  10. Mate in 2 puzzle 10, rated 932a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 10 · rated 932 · White to play after Qxg5
    Show solution

    Qxh7+ Kf8 Qh8#

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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 800 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 800 is one that players rated around 800 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 940, so they suit beginners.

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.