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Printable Smothered mate Puzzles

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

Printable worksheet

12 smothered mate puzzles, every difficulty, with answer key

A lone knight mates a king completely boxed in by its own pieces. The classic finish sacrifices the queen on g8 or g1 to force the final self-blockade.

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.

Smothered mate — chess puzzle worksheet Name: ______________   Date: ______________
♜♝♜♞♚
♟♟♟♝♟
♟♘
♞♟
♟
♘♙
♙♙♙♙♗♙
♖♗♔
#1 · white to move · rating 632
♟♟♚
♕♝♟
♙♙
♙♞
♙♙
♖♔
#2 · black to move · rating 722
♚♜
♟♟♟
♘♟♟
♙
♝
♙♙
♙♙
♔
#3 · white to move · rating 802
♛♜♚
♝♞♟
♟♟♝♟♘
♟♗♙
♙♙
♙♙
♖♖♔
#4 · white to move · rating 863
♜♝♚♜
♟♟♟♟♟♝♟
♙♟
♕
♙♞
♙♙♗♙
♖♘♖♘♔
#5 · black to move · rating 904
♚
♟♟♟
♘♞
♜
♟♔♙♙
♙♜♙
♙
♖
#6 · white to move · rating 937
♜♜♚
♟♟
♟♘
♟♟
♟♛
♙♙
♙♙♙
♖♔
#7 · white to move · rating 988
♜♚
♟♟
♘♕♞
♟♝
♙♟♛♙
♙
♙♙♙
♔♖
#8 · white to move · rating 1102
♜♛♚♝♜
♝♞♟♟♟
♟♞♟
♟♘
♙
♗
♙♙♙♙♙
♖♗♕♖♔
#9 · white to move · rating 1249
♜♛♚♝♜
♝♞♟♟♟
♟♞
♟♟♗
♟♘♙
♘
♙♙♙♙♙♙
♖♗♕♖♔
#10 · white to move · rating 1346
♜♝♜♚
♟♟♟♟♟♟
♗♟
♝♞
♘
♙♙♙♛♙♙
♖♘♗♕♖♔
#11 · black to move · rating 1441
♜♚♜
♟♟♟♝♟
♟♛♟♟
♘
♞♙♙♞
♗
♙♙♙♕♙♙
♖♗♖♔
#12 · black to move · rating 2171

Answer key

  1. #1 (puzzle 0R0hX): Nf7#
  2. #2 (puzzle 0HwlA): Nf2#
  3. #3 (puzzle 0MfsV): Nc7#
  4. #4 (puzzle 0O4JU): Nf7#
  5. #5 (puzzle 0LIia): Nf2#
  6. #6 (puzzle 08zS8): Re8+ → Ng8 → Nxf7#
  7. #7 (puzzle 00Tmr): Nf7#
  8. #8 (puzzle 0ETW8): Nf7#
  9. #9 (puzzle 0SSPW): Nd6#
  10. #10 (puzzle 0IkwS): Nd6#
  11. #11 (puzzle 00wPZ): Qg1+ → Nxg1 → Nf2#
  12. #12 (puzzle 0BSZ7): Ne2+ → Kh1 → Qg1+ → Rxg1 → Nf2#

Positions from real rated games (CC0 data).