Find the mate in 2
Mate in 2, proven against every defence.
A two move finish, Red to play. Black holds nothing but the General, which is enough to survive most attacks and not this one.
The position
Red attacks with a soldier and a cannon, and Black's General stands on f9. Black's defenders: nothing but the General.
- Mate in 2
- Soldier finish
- Rating 1718
Red moves first. Find the move that forces mate whatever Black replies, then open the solution below.
Show the solution
The move is 兵 e7–e8. Look at what it does: it removes 2 escape points from the General, and leaves Black 1 legal reply, none of which help.
The line
- Red兵 e7–e8Quiet, and there is no answer to the threat.
- Black將 f9–f10Black's most stubborn defence.
- Red兵 e8–e9Checkmate.
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
A soldier gives the mate, which only happens once it has crossed the river and can step sideways. It is the cheapest piece on the board finishing a game, and it is a reminder that a crossed soldier is an attacker rather than a wall.
Read about this patternHow 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 2 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.
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