Mate in 3

Chess Puzzle No. 276: Black strikes first: can you spot mate in three?

Posted on 2 October 2026 by Delphine D.

02
Oct

In March 2025, during a 5+0 blitz game between two similarly rated players, in a Queen's Gambit Declined, Austrian Defence, Black has just recaptured bxa3 on move 11. It's your turn to play as Black.

Mate in 3IntermediateBlack to play

Black to play and mate in 3

Puzzle: Lichess open database (CC0) · Pieces: Cburnett, Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

See the solution explained

Nc2+ gives check to the white king and leaves only one legal reply.

Kf1 is therefore forced.

Rd1+ renews the check, again leaving only one possible defence.

Ne1 is White’s only way to block the check, interposing the knight.

Rxe1# captures that knight with check: the white king, on f1, has no way to escape the check. This is checkmate.

In the actual game, the solver found the entire combination: Nc2+, Rd1+ and Rxe1#, leading straight to checkmate and victory. Remember this motif: a fork that opens the way to mate in three moves.

Fancy playing this puzzle on a real board? Discover our complete chess sets, with matching board and pieces.

Delphine D.

Delphine D. is the lead writer of the editorial team at Le Palais des Échecs, a shop specialising since 2008 in wooden chess sets, chessboards and backgammon sets. Her guides draw on the shop's hands-on experience: more than 5,000 customers advised and a catalogue built around the woods that make beautiful sets. Pale, very fine-grained boxwood set against ebony or rosewood for the pieces; maple, walnut and mahogany for the boards; palisander, olive wood or burr wood for exceptional models. Choosing a set for a child, a wedding or retirement gift, comparing woods, having a board engraved: she helps every reader find the set that suits them. Find out more about Delphine D. and the editorial team - Facebook - Pinterest - Youtube