Chess Moment · Puzzles
Mate-in-two puzzles
Two moves, and there is no escape. Twelve positions that open with a check, and every reply to it walks into mate.
12 positions · Rated 400 to 2000, easiest first.
The lesson behind it: Checks, captures, threats
Mate-in-two puzzle 1 · White to move
8♜♚7♟︎♟︎♟︎6♜♟︎5♛♟︎4♜♟︎3♟︎2♟︎♟︎1♜♚abcdefgh
Rating: 400
Show the solution
- You
Rd6xd8 - Opponent
Qb5-e8 - You
Rd8xe8
Open this position on a board
FEN: 3r2k1/5ppp/3Rp3/1q2P3/1r3P2/7P/2P3P1/6RK w - - 1 39
Mate-in-two puzzle 2 · White to move
8♚7♟︎♟︎♚♟︎6♟︎♟︎5♟︎4321♜♛abcdefgh
Rating: 598
Show the solution
- You
d7-d8=Q - Opponent
Rd1xd8 - You
c7xd8=Q
Open this position on a board
FEN: 2K5/2PPk1p1/4Pp2/5P2/8/8/8/3r3q w - - 0 66
Mate-in-two puzzle 3 · Black to move
87♟︎♜♟︎♚♟︎6♟︎5♝432♟︎♟︎♟︎1♜♚abcdefgh
Rating: 833
Show the solution
- You
Rb7xb1 - Opponent
Ba5-e1 - You
Rb1xe1
Open this position on a board
FEN: 8/Pr3pkp/6p1/B7/8/8/5PPP/1R4K1 b - - 0 45
Mate-in-two puzzle 4 · White to move
8♜♚7♟︎♛♟︎♟︎6♟︎♟︎5♟︎♟︎♟︎43♟︎♛♟︎2♟︎♟︎♜♝1♚♜abcdefgh
Rating: 956
Show the solution
- You
Qb7xa8 - Opponent
Rd2-d8 - You
Qa8xd8
Open this position on a board
FEN: r5k1/pQ3pp1/2p3P1/1p2p2p/8/2P2q1P/PP1r1b2/K4R2 w - - 0 26
Mate-in-two puzzle 5 · White to move
8♜♝♚♜7♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎6♟︎♟︎♞5♟︎♝♝4♞3♟︎♛♝2♟︎♛♟︎♟︎♟︎1♞♜♚abcdefgh
Rating: 1072
Show the solution
- You
Be5xf6 - Opponent
g7xf6 - You
Qe2xe8
Open this position on a board
FEN: r1bkr3/3p1ppp/p2P1n2/1pb1B3/2N5/Pq1B4/1P2QPPP/n3R1K1 w - b6 0 19
Mate-in-two puzzle 6 · Black to move
8♝♜76♟︎♟︎♚5♟︎4♟︎♝♟︎♟︎♚3♟︎♞21♜abcdefgh
Rating: 1176
Show the solution
- You
e6-e5 - Opponent
Bc4-e6 - You
Bc8xe6
Open this position on a board
FEN: 2b4r/8/2p1pk2/6p1/1PBP1pK1/2P2N2/8/4R3 b - - 5 34
Mate-in-two puzzle 7 · Black to move
8♚7♟︎♟︎♟︎6♟︎♝5♛♛♟︎4♟︎3♟︎♟︎♝2♟︎♚1♜abcdefgh
Rating: 1294
Show the solution
- You
Qd5xf3 - Opponent
Kg2-h3 - You
Qf3-g2
Open this position on a board
FEN: 6k1/1p3pp1/p1b5/3q2Qp/7P/1P3PB1/P5K1/2R5 b - - 0 29
Mate-in-two puzzle 8 · Black to move
8♜7♟︎♝♚♟︎♟︎6♟︎♞♟︎♟︎5♟︎♜♛4♝3♝♛♟︎2♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎1♜♜♚abcdefgh
Rating: 1425
Show the solution
- You
Qh5xh2 - Opponent
Kh1xh2 - You
Rg5-h5
Open this position on a board
FEN: 6r1/1p1bkp1p/p1n1pp2/5Prq/4B3/2BQ1P2/PPP4P/3RR2K b - - 6 25
Mate-in-two puzzle 9 · White to move
8♜♚7♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎6♟︎♟︎♛5♜♝4♞♜3♛♟︎2♟︎♟︎♟︎♚1abcdefgh
Rating: 1554
Show the solution
- You
Qh6xh7 - Opponent
Kh8xh7 - You
Rf4-h4
Open this position on a board
FEN: 6rk/ppp2p1p/5PpQ/4r1B1/3n1R2/4q2P/PP4PK/8 w - - 7 27
Mate-in-two puzzle 10 · White to move
8♜♚7♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎6♛5♛♞43♟︎2♟︎♟︎1♜♜♚abcdefgh
Rating: 1666
Show the solution
- You
Qd5xf7 - Opponent
Kg8-h8 - You
Qf7xg7
Open this position on a board
FEN: 4r1k1/p1p2ppp/1q6/3Q3N/8/P7/6PP/4rR1K w - - 5 26
Mate-in-two puzzle 11 · Black to move
8♜♜7♝♛♟︎♚♟︎65♝♝4♞♞3♟︎♟︎2♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎1♜♞♜♚abcdefgh
Rating: 1815
Show the solution
- You
Be5xh2 - Opponent
Kg1-h1 - You
Ne4-g3
Open this position on a board
FEN: 2r4r/BQ2pk1p/8/4bb2/4n1n1/2P2P2/PP4PP/RN3RK1 b - - 0 17
Mate-in-two puzzle 12 · White to move
8♜♝♚♝♜7♟︎♟︎♟︎♞♟︎♟︎6♟︎5♞♛4♟︎♝3♛2♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎1♚♜abcdefgh
Rating: 2000
Show the solution
- You
Bg4-d7 - Opponent
Bc8xd7 - You
Qh3xd7
Open this position on a board
FEN: r1b1kb1r/ppp1np1p/3p4/4N1q1/3P2B1/7Q/PPP4P/1K2R3 w kq - 0 20