The back-rank mate
Step 1 of 7
The black king is on g8 with the pawns f7, g7 and h7 in front of it. The king has no square to escape to. If the white rook comes down to d8, it is mate. This is called a back-rank mate.
The rook comes down to d8: mate. Black's own pawns block the king's way.
Move 0 of 1
Mate in one move.
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Mate in one move. Is the rook on b8 enough to guard the back rank?
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Careful: if the black rook comes down to e1 (Re1), your king is mated! Give your king an escape square: push one of the pawns in front of it.
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Mate in two moves. Do not be afraid to sacrifice your queen.
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Now some back-rank mate puzzles from real games.
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