Chess tactics: back-rank and two-move mates
A tactic is a series of forcing moves that wins something concrete — checkmate, or an important piece. This page starts with the most common one: the back-rank mate.
The back-rank weakness: the opponent’s own pieces block the king
A chess king usually stands behind three pawns. Those pawns look safe, but if the opponent’s rook or queen reaches the back rank, the king is blocked by its own pawns — it cannot step forward and cannot step aside. This is the most common way into a mating attack in practice.
When you see the opponent’s king squeezed by its own pieces, ask first: do I have a piece that can reach that rank or file?
Restrict first, then mate
The first move of a two-move mate is usually not a check. A check only drives the king away; what works is taking away its choices — cover every square it could go to, then finish next move.
The board has White at the bottom and Black at the top. Tap one of your white pieces, then tap a highlighted destination; if you go wrong, the engine tells you how Black escapes.
Try a puzzle
Back-rank mate: rook
White to move. The black king hides behind three pawns — mate in one.
這一題的目標：一步內將死
Answer:Ra8#
This puzzle trains the back-rank weakness: the black king looks safe behind three pawns, but those pawns also seal its escape. The rook goes to a8 (Ra8#) and checks along the rank; the king cannot step forward (its own pawns block), cannot take the rook (too far), and has no other piece — mate. In practice, “the opponent’s own pieces block their king” is the most common way into a mating attack: when you see a king squeezed by its own men, look for a piece that can reach that rank or file.
Try a puzzle
Back-rank mate: queen
White to move. The same back-rank weakness, this time with the queen — mate in one.
這一題的目標：一步內將死
Answer:Qd8#
The same back-rank weakness as the previous puzzle, except the queen can also move sideways (a rook cannot): the queen walks along the back rank from d1 to d8 (Qd8#) for mate. The intuition to build here is “queen = rook + bishop”: the same mating pattern offers more routes, so it is easier to find the line.
Try a puzzle
Back-rank mate: rook on another file
White to move. The rook is on the c-file instead of the a-file — still mate in one, but which line?
這一題的目標：一步內將死
Answer:Rc8#
The same back-rank mate, but the rook sits on the c-file: a rook only moves straight, so it must travel along the back rank from c8 to check (Rc8#). The black king is on g8, the same rank, with nothing to interpose; stepping to f8 or h8 is blocked by its own pawns (f7, g7, h7). This puzzle is a third angle on one idea: spot the back-rank weakness → find a piece that reaches that rank → go there.
Try a puzzle
Mate in two: queen and pawns seal the king
White to move. Queen and king against a king and three pawns — mate within two moves. The first move need not check: find the square where the king is left with a single move.
這一題的目標：兩手內將死
2 more of your moves (and the opponent answers after each one).
Answer:Qf7
This puzzle trains restrict first, then mate: the first move Qf7 is not a check, but it leaves the black king with no square to go — all three directions are covered by the queen, so only a pawn move remains. After that pawn move, the queen goes to f8 (Qf8#), checking along the back rank while the king is still blocked by its own pawns: mate. Many players rush to check whenever a check exists, but a check only drives the king away; taking away the king’s choices is what makes the next move the real mate.
Try a puzzle
Mate in two: queen and pawns seal the king
White to move. The queen is still in the middle of the board while the king has tucked into the corner — mate within two moves. The first move need not check.
這一題的目標：兩手內將死
2 more of your moves (and the opponent answers after each one).
Answer:Qf7
This puzzle trains restrict first, then mate: the first move Qf7 is not a check, but it leaves the black king with no square to go — all three directions are covered by the queen, so only a pawn move remains. After that pawn move, the queen goes to f8 (Qf8#), checking along the back rank while the king is still blocked by its own pawns: mate. Many players rush to check whenever a check exists, but a check only drives the king away; taking away the king’s choices is what makes the next move the real mate.
Try a puzzle
Mate in two: queen and pawns seal the king
White to move. The queen is already on the back rank, right next to the king — mate within two moves. The first move need not check.
這一題的目標：兩手內將死
2 more of your moves (and the opponent answers after each one).
Answer:Qf7
This puzzle trains restrict first, then mate: the first move Qf7 is not a check, but it leaves the black king with no square to go — all three directions are covered by the queen, so only a pawn move remains. After that pawn move, the queen goes to f8 (Qf8#), checking along the back rank while the king is still blocked by its own pawns: mate. Many players rush to check whenever a check exists, but a check only drives the king away; taking away the king’s choices is what makes the next move the real mate.