How do I get better at solving checkmate puzzles?

Look at every check first, then every capture, then every threat. Count which squares the enemy king can escape to, and learn the common mating patterns such as back-rank mate, smothered mate and the Arabian mate.

Chess Concepts

Free Chess Puzzles: Find the Checkmate in 1, 2 or 3 Moves

Q: What does mate in 2 mean?

Mate in 2 means you can force checkmate with your second move, whatever your opponent replies. Mate in 3 means checkmate on your third move.

Q: Where do the puzzles come from?

They come from real games in the Lichess open puzzle database. Each one was re-checked by computer to have exactly one winning first move and no faster mate.

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Mahogany Chess

The greatest chess games ever played, and today's brilliancies, told move by move on a real board. Every video ends with a mate-in-2 to solve before the timer runs out.

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Click a piece, then click where it should go.

Hint 1 names the pattern (−25% points) · Hint 2 shows the piece (−50%) · A wrong move resets your streak.

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How the checkmate puzzles work

Every puzzle comes from a real game. Your opponent has just moved, and now it's your turn to find the checkmate. Click a piece, then click the square where it should go.

Mate in 1: one move wins the game. Perfect for beginners and warm-ups.
Mate in 2: force checkmate with your second move, whatever your opponent replies.
Mate in 3: calculate three moves deep. Hard puzzles for club players.
Daily puzzle: a new challenge every day, worth double points.

Chess concepts behind every checkmate

Most checkmates repeat a small set of patterns. Learn to spot them and puzzles get much easier:

Back-rank mate: the king is trapped behind its own pawns.
Smothered mate: a knight mates a king boxed in by its own pieces.
Arabian mate: rook and knight trap the king in the corner.
Sacrifice and attraction: give up material to drag the king into a mating net.
Double check and discovered attack: two pieces give check at once, so only a king move can escape.

Tips to solve chess puzzles faster

Look at every check first, even the ones that give up your queen.
Then look at every capture, then every threat.
Count the enemy king's escape squares. A mate has to cover all of them.
Ask what your opponent's last move changed. It often left a weakness behind.
In mate in 2 and 3, check your opponent's best reply before you move.

Frequently asked questions

Are the chess puzzles free?

Yes. All 92 checkmate puzzles are free to play, with no account or sign-up.

What does mate in 2 mean?

You can force checkmate with your second move, whatever your opponent replies. Mate in 3 means checkmate on your third move.

Where do the puzzles come from?

From real games in the Lichess open puzzle database. We re-checked each one by computer: exactly one winning first move, and no faster mate.

How are points and ranks calculated?

Mate in 1 is worth 10 points, mate in 2 is worth 25 and mate in 3 is worth 50. Hints and wrong moves lower the score. Collect points to climb from Pawn to Grandmaster.