Find the mate in 2
Mate in 2, proven against every defence.
A two move finish, Red to play. Black holds a advisor and a elephant, which is enough to survive most attacks and not this one.
The position
Red attacks with a cannon, 2 chariots, a soldier and a horse, and Black's General stands on e10. Black's defenders: a advisor and a elephant.
- Mate in 2
- Chariot finish
- Rating 1754
Red moves first. Find the move that forces mate whatever Black replies, then open the solution below.
Show the solution
The move is 俥 i6×e6. Look at what it does: it takes a defender off the board on the way, it removes 1 escape point from the General, and leaves Black 1 legal reply, none of which help.
The line
- Red俥 i6×e6Check. Black must answer.
- Black士 d10–e9Black's most stubborn defence.
- Red俥 e6–d6Checkmate.
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 1x0780 · rating 1267
- Red to play, mate in 1x0778 · rating 1333
- Red to play, mate in 1x0781 · rating 1294
- Find the mate in 2x0777 · rating 1718
- Red moves and mates in 2x0782 · rating 1641
- Find the mate in 1x0776 · rating 1335
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.