Find the mate in 2
Mate in 2, proven against every defence.
A two move finish, Red to play. Black holds a cannon, a advisor and a elephant, which is enough to survive most attacks and not this one.
The position
Red attacks with a horse, 2 chariots and 2 cannons, and Black's General stands on e10. Black's defenders: a cannon, a advisor and a elephant.
- Mate in 2
- Chariot finish
- Rating 1608
Red moves first. Find the move that forces mate whatever Black replies, then open the solution below.
Show the solution
The move is 俥 a4–a10. 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 a4–a10Check. Black must answer.
- Black砲 c9–c10Black's most stubborn defence.
- Red俥 a10×c10Checkmate.
Every one of Black's 1 answers was played out to the end. The line below follows the most stubborn of them, the one that lasts longest and costs Red the most.
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 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.
Next puzzles
- Red moves and mates in 1x1840 · rating 1114
- Red moves and mates in 1x1838 · rating 1326
- Find the mate in 1x1841 · rating 1201
- Red to play, mate in 2x1837 · rating 1617
- Red moves and mates in 2x1842 · rating 1774
- Red moves and mates in 1x1836 · rating 1101
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.