Puzzle x0046 · rating 2263

Find the mate in 3

Mate in 3, proven against every defence.

A three move finish, Red to play. Black holds a horse and a advisor, which is enough to survive most attacks and not this one.

The position

Red attacks with 3 cannons and a chariot, and Black's General stands on e8. Black's defenders: a horse and a advisor.

Mate in 3
Chariot finish
Rating 2263

Red moves first. Find the move that forces mate whatever Black replies, then open the solution below.

Show the solution

The move is 俥 h4–e4. Look at what it does: it removes 1 escape point from the General, and leaves Black 1 legal reply, none of which help.

The line

Red俥 h4–e4Check. Black must answer.
Black將 e8×f8The toughest try, taking a piece with it.
Red帥 d1–e1Quiet, and there is no answer to the threat.
Black馬 a9–b7Black's most stubborn defence.
Red俥 e4–f4Checkmate.

Black has 1 legal moves after the first blow and each was refuted to mate. The main line shown is the toughest defence rather than a convenient one.

Why it is mate

The chariot arrives on a line the defence cannot close. Chariots are the strongest pieces on the board and most finished attacks end with one, which is why a defender will trade almost anything to swap them off first.

Read about this pattern

How this puzzle was checked

Nothing here is an engine opinion. The position was solved by trying every legal defence to the full mate distance, so the claim that Red mates in 3 is a proof rather than an evaluation, and the first move shown is the only one that works. The defence in the line above is Black’s most stubborn try, not a convenient one.

Solve puzzles on a real board More mates in 3 Enter the board

Next puzzles

New to mating patterns? The glossary names the ones that come up again and again, the piece guides explain what each piece can do, and the rules page covers everything from the start.