Red moves and mates in 2
Mate in 2, proven against every defence.
Red is to move and forces mate in 2. Black is not helpless: there are a elephant, a chariot and a cannon still on the board, and every legal defence has been tried against this solution. All of them lose.
The position
Red attacks with 2 horses and a chariot, and Black's General stands on f10. Black's defenders: a elephant, a chariot and a cannon.
- Mate in 2
- Chariot finish
- Rating 1692
Red moves first. Find the move that forces mate whatever Black replies, then open the solution below.
Show the solution
俥 h8–f8 is the only move that wins. Look at what it does: and leaves Black 1 legal reply, none of which help.
The line
- Red俥 h8–f8Check. Black must answer.
- Black車 g9–f9Black's most stubborn defence.
- Red俥 f8×f9Checkmate.
Black has 1 legal moves after the first blow and each was refuted to mate. The main line shown is the toughest defence rather than a convenient one.
Why it is mate
The chariot arrives on a line the defence cannot close. Chariots are the strongest pieces on the board and most finished attacks end with one, which is why a defender will trade almost anything to swap them off first.
Read about this patternHow this puzzle was checked
Nothing here is an engine opinion. The position was solved by trying every legal defence to the full mate distance, so the claim that Red mates in 2 is a proof rather than an evaluation, and the first move shown is the only one that works. The defence in the line above is Black’s most stubborn try, not a convenient one.
Next puzzles
- Find the mate in 1x0031 · rating 1297
- Red moves and mates in 1x0029 · rating 1305
- Find the mate in 2x0032 · rating 1558
- Red to play, mate in 3x0028 · rating 2257
- Find the mate in 1x0033 · rating 1300
- Find the mate in 1x0027 · rating 1177
New to mating patterns? The glossary names the ones that come up again and again, the piece guides explain what each piece can do, and the rules page covers everything from the start.