Find the mate in 2
Mate in 2, proven against every defence.
A two move finish, Red to play. Black holds a cannon and a advisor, which is enough to survive most attacks and not this one.
The position
Red attacks with 2 chariots, and Black's General stands on f10. Black's defenders: a cannon and a advisor.
- Mate in 2
- Chariot finish
- Rating 1554
Red moves first. Find the move that forces mate whatever Black replies, then open the solution below.
Show the solution
The move is 俥 c7–f7. Look at what it does: and leaves Black 11 legal replies, none of which help.
The line
- Red俥 c7–f7Quiet, and there is no answer to the threat.
- Black砲 i10–i9Black's most stubborn defence.
- Red俥 e9×i9Checkmate.
Black has 11 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.
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