Mate in 2

Chess Puzzle No. 277: One move leaves the black king with nowhere to run

Posted on 3 October 2026 by Delphine D.

03
Oct

In August 2018, during a 10+0 rapid game between players rated around 1850, following a Sicilian Defence (Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack), White plays their 29th move after Qc5. Now it's your turn to find the forced continuation.

Mate in 2ExpertWhite to play

White to play and mate in 2

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

See the solution explained

Qg8+ puts the black king in check and leaves only one legal reply.

Black must play Ke7, the king moving to the only available square.

Rxf7# captures the pawn on f7 with check: the black king, now on e7, is in check and cannot escape. It’s checkmate.

In the actual game, the solver did find Qg8+, but then played Qxf7+ instead of the rook, letting the immediate mate slip away; the game eventually ended in resignation and a loss. Remember the motif: a queen forces the king onto a precise square so the rook can deliver checkmate.

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