Find the mate in 1
Mate in 1, proven against every defence.
A one move finish, Red to play. Black holds a elephant and a horse, which is enough to survive most attacks and not this one.
The position
Red attacks with a chariot and a horse, and Black's General stands on f8. Black's defenders: a elephant and a horse.
- Mate in 1
- Chariot finish
- Rating 1290
Red moves first. Find the move that forces mate whatever Black replies, then open the solution below.
Show the solution
The move is 俥 d9–f9.
The line
- Red俥 d9–f9Checkmate.
There is nothing to try. The General cannot move, the checking piece cannot be taken, and nothing can be interposed.
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 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 1 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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