Mate in 3
Chess Puzzle No. 304: Mate in three: can White uncover the winning idea?
30
Oct
Oct
White has just seen the black king retreat to h7, in a rook endgame with four pieces each side. With White to move, can you force mate in three moves?
Mate in 3IntermediateWhite to play
White to play and mate in 3
Puzzle: Lichess open database (CC0) · Pieces: Cburnett, Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
See the solution explained
Kf7 brings the white king closer to the black king without giving check, leaving Black with twelve possible replies.
Black plays Rxf4, capturing a pawn.
Rh1+ places the white rook on the h-file and gives check; Black is left with only one possible reply.
Black must play Rh4 to block the check.
Rxh4# captures the black rook while giving check. The black king, on h7, is in check and cannot escape it: checkmate.
This endgame shows a classic rook-endgame motif: the king advances to support the attack while the rook exploits the open file to force a back-rank-style mate. A useful pattern to remember whenever the king is exposed.
Rook endgames like this one are a classic part of chess learning, often studied in endgame books. If you want to practise this kind of position at home on a pleasant surface, take a look at our chess tables or our luxury wood chess sets.
Chess Elo rating: how it works and how to improve
The Elo rating is the international system that measures a chess player’s strength: the higher [...]
How to set up chess pieces on a board: the complete guide
For novice chess players and those who have never played this game before, it's easy [...]
Chess Puzzle No. 299: Did this expert really spot the mate in three moves?
White has three moves to force mate after Bf8. Can you find the combination before [...]