Mate in 3 Chess Puzzles — Rated 1600

10 mate-in-three puzzles rated between 1600 and 1799, averaging 1686. 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 three requires holding a branching tree in your head. Start from the mating picture you want and work backwards to the move that forces it, rather than searching forwards from checks.

These are pitched at 1600-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1600 is one that players around 1600 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 3 puzzles rated 1600

  1. Mate in 3 puzzle 1, rated 1740a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 1 · rated 1740 · White to play after Qc5
    Show solution

    Qh7+ Kf8 Qh8+ Ke7 Qe8#

  2. Mate in 3 puzzle 2, rated 1776h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 2 · rated 1776 · Black to play after Rcxb2
    Show solution

    Bxb2+ Rxb2 Qc1+ Rb1 Qxb1#

  3. Mate in 3 puzzle 3, rated 1710a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 3 · rated 1710 · White to play after Rg8
    Show solution

    Qg7+ Rxg7 hxg7+ Kg8 Rh8#

  4. Mate in 3 puzzle 4, rated 1627a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 4 · rated 1627 · White to play after Kg8
    Show solution

    Kh6 Rb1 Ra8+ Rb8 Rxb8#

  5. Mate in 3 puzzle 5, rated 1700h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 5 · rated 1700 · Black to play after Rd3
    Show solution

    Re1+ Bxe1 Rxe1+ Kh2 Rh1#

  6. Mate in 3 puzzle 6, rated 1666h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 6 · rated 1666 · Black to play after Ne7
    Show solution

    Qxg2+ Rxg2 Re1+ Rg1 Rxg1#

  7. Mate in 3 puzzle 7, rated 1683a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 7 · rated 1683 · White to play after Bxf3
    Show solution

    Rd8+ Rxd8 Qxd8+ Qe8 Bxe7#

  8. Mate in 3 puzzle 8, rated 1607a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 8 · rated 1607 · White to play after Ne5
    Show solution

    Rxh7+ Kxh7 Qh5+ Bh6 Qxh6#

  9. Mate in 3 puzzle 9, rated 1734a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 9 · rated 1734 · White to play after Qxa2
    Show solution

    Qxh7+ Kf8 Qh8+ Bxh8 Rxh8#

  10. Mate in 3 puzzle 10, rated 1614h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 10 · rated 1614 · Black to play after Qxd6
    Show solution

    Rxg2+ Bxg2 Qf2+ Kh1 Bxg2#

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Frequently asked questions

What is a mate in 3 in chess?

Mate in three requires holding a branching tree in your head. Start from the mating picture you want and work backwards to the move that forces it, rather than searching forwards from checks.

What does a puzzle rating of 1600 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1600 is one that players rated around 1600 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1686, so they suit 1600-rated players.

Are these mate in 3 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.