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Printable Back-rank mate Puzzles

Real positions from rated games. Narrow them by motif, difficulty or rating, then solve or print each one.

Printable worksheet

12 back-rank mate puzzles, every difficulty, with answer key

The back-rank mate strikes a king trapped behind its own unmoved pawns. A rook or queen lands on the last rank, and the shelter becomes a cage.

Solve these online instead Customise: pick difficulty, count and paper size

Positions come from real rated games. The answer key prints on the last page.

Back-rank mate — chess puzzle worksheet Name: ______________   Date: ______________
♜
♟♚♟♟♟
♟
♖♙
♙♙♙♙♙
♔
#1 · black to move · rating 600
♜
♟♚♟
♙♟
♖
♙♙
♔
#2 · black to move · rating 630
♜♚
♟♟♟
♝♘
♖
♙♙♙
♔
#3 · black to move · rating 669
♛♚♝♞♜
♟♞♟♟♟
♟♟♟
♝
♙♗
♙♘
♙♙♘♙♙♙
♖♖♔
#4 · white to move · rating 706
♚
♟♜♟
♟♟♙
♜♛
♖
♙
♙♙♙♕
♔♖
#5 · black to move · rating 739
♜♚
♟♟♟
♙
♕♙
♛♟♙♙
♖♔
#6 · white to move · rating 785
♜
♚♞♕♟♟♟
♝♟
♟♙
♟♟♙
♙♙♘
♘♙♙♙
♖♔
#7 · black to move · rating 863
♖♜♚
♜♝♟♟♟
♘♟
♟
♟♙♞
♙♙
♗♙♙♙
♔♖
#8 · white to move · rating 944
♜♚
♛♙♟♟
♕♟
♟♟
♟
♟♙♙♙
♙♙♗
♔
#9 · white to move · rating 1020
♜♝♜
♟♟♚
♞♟♛
♞♘♕
♙♝♘
♙
♙♙♙♙
♖♗♖♔
#10 · black to move · rating 1132
♜♚
♟♝♟♟
♕♞
♗♗
♙♟♛♘♙♙♙
♖♔
#11 · black to move · rating 1280
♜♚
♟♛♜♖♟
♟♞♟
♝♟♙
♕
♗
♙♙♙
♖♔
#12 · white to move · rating 2657

Answer key

  1. #1 (puzzle 0aPmG): Rc1+ → Rd1 → Rxd1#
  2. #2 (puzzle 0IStJ): Rb1+ → Re1 → Rxe1#
  3. #3 (puzzle 0qQ4h): Rb1+ → Rd1 → Rxd1#
  4. #4 (puzzle 0FVc0): Rxc8#
  5. #5 (puzzle 007mr): Rd1+ → Rxd1 → Rxd1#
  6. #6 (puzzle 0UM8W): Qd8+ → Rxd8 → Rxd8#
  7. #7 (puzzle 0AxSa): Rxb1+ → Nc1 → Rxc1+ → Ne1 → Rxe1#
  8. #8 (puzzle 05c3K): Ne7+ → Kh8 → Rxf8#
  9. #9 (puzzle 0660Y): Qe8+ → Rxe8 → dxe8=Q#
  10. #10 (puzzle 04hNb): Qxf2+ → Kh1 → Qf1+ → Rxf1 → Rxf1#
  11. #11 (puzzle 0CBpH): Qd1+ → Rxd1 → cxd1=Q#
  12. #12 (puzzle 2GWtd): Qg7+ → Nxg7 → Rf8+ → Rxf8 → Rxf8#

Positions from real rated games (CC0 data).