Level 2 · 6 min · 12 puzzles

Finish with a queen or a rook

Bring your king up, then give the final check.

ExampleKing and rook against king. Rh1 is checkmate: the white king on f7 takes away g8 and g7, and the rook covers the whole h-file.

Practise it

Puzzle 1 of 12

White to move

Checkmate in one move.

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
  • 1Bring your king up: it takes squares away.
  • 2Check the other king still has a move before you play, or it is a draw.
  • 3A protected queen or rook next to the king is usually mate.
The longer explanation

Your king is part of the attack. With few pieces left, a queen or rook cannot mate on its own. Your king has to come up and take away squares, so that the last check is a mate. In every position here, notice what your king is doing.

Do not stalemate. If the other king is not in check and has no legal move, the game is a draw, not a win. When you are far ahead, before every move ask: does the other king still have a square to move to?

Next: Forks: attack two things at once7 min

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