Checkmates

Question 1

White to play and mate

Answer 1

3-1: 1.Kg3! Qe4 Other moves are just as useless, as the multiple checkmate threats cannot be stopped. 2.Qf2+ Or 2.Qc1+ Qc1+ 3.Qxe1#. 2…Kh1 3.Qh2#.

Question 2

White to play and mate

Answer 2

3-2: 1.Rg7+ Kh8 2.Rh7+ Kg8 3.Rag7#. This pattern occurs frequently, so remember it!

Question 3

White to play and mate

Answer 3

3-3: 1.Kb6 If 1.Kxc4?? Kxb7 is an easy draw. 1…c3 2.a5 c2 3.a6 c1Q 4.a7#.

Question 4

White to play and mate

Answer 4

3-4: 1.Nf6+ Kh8 2.Rg8#.

Question 5

White to play and mate in two

Answer 5

3-5: 1.Qh8+ Bxh8 2.Rxh8#.

Question 6

White to play and win

Answer 6

3-6: 1.Nxg5! Qd4+ If 1…Qh3 2.Nxh3 wins easily. 2.Kg2 and Qh7# is unstoppable.

Question 7

White to play and mate

Answer 7

3-7: 1.Ng6 and Black can only delay Rh8# for three moves by interposing the queens on the eighth rank.

Question 8

White to play and mate

Answer 8

3-8: 1.Bh7+ Kh8 2.Bg6+ Kg8 3.Qh7+ Kf8 4.Qxf7#. This works when f7 is undefended.

Question 9

Black to play and mate

Answer 9

3-9: 1…Qg2+ 2.Kxg2 Nf4++ 3.Kg1 Nh3#.

Question 10

White to play and mate in two

Answer 10

3-10: 1.Re7++ Kg8 (or 1…Kf8) 2.Qg7#.

Question 11

White to play and mate in three

Answer 11

3-11: 1.Bxh6 d6 If 1…Bxd5 2.Qxf8#. 2.dxc6 Qc7 3.Qxf8#.

Question 12

White to play and mate in three

Answer 12

3-12: 1.Rxe6+ fxe6 2.Qxe6+ Qe7 3.Qxe7#.

Question 13

Black to play and mate

Answer 13

3-13: 1…Rf2 2.Qxg6+ Kxg6 3.Nf8+ Kh6 4.Rxb7 Rh2#.

Question 14

Black to play and mate

Answer 14

3-14: 1…Rxh2+ 2.Kxh2 Qg2#.

Question 15

Black to play and mate

Answer 15

3-15: 1…Qd3+ 2.Ke1 Qd1#.

Question 16

Black to play and mate

Answer 16

3-16: 1…g3 Blocking the escape square before giving check, and forcing mate in two.

Question 17

Black to play and mate

Answer 17

3-17: 1…hxg2 2.Kxg2 Qh3+ 3.Kg1 Qh2#.

Question 18

White to play and mate

Answer 18

3-18: 1.Qb8+ Nxb8 2.Rd8# The finish to the famous game Morphy vs. Duke of Brunswick and the Count Isouard, 1858.

Question 19

Black to play and mate in two

Answer 19

3-19: 1…Qh4+ 2.Qh2 Ng3#.

Question 20

White to play and mate

Answer 20

3-20: 1.Nxf6+ Removing the guard with check. 1…Qxf6 2.Qxh7#.

Question 21

White to play and mate

Answer 21

3-21: 1.Bg7+ Kg8 2.Be5+! Kf8 3.Bd6+ Ke8 4.Re7+ Kd8 If 4…Kf8 5.Re1#. 5.Rg8#.

Question 22

White to play and mate

Answer 22

3-22: 1.a4+ Kxa4 2.Qb3# 2.Qxc5 wins, but is not an immediate mate.

Question 23

White to play and mate

Answer 23

3-23: 1.Re7+ Kf8 2.Rxf7+ Ke8 3.Rbe7#.

Question 24

White to play and mate

Answer 24

3-24: 1.g6 This is the quickest. 1…Bh4 2.Qxh4 Kf8 3.Qh8+ Ke7 4.Qxg7+ Ke8 5.Qf7#.

Question 25

White to play and mate

Answer 25

3-25: 1.Qxf7+ Kh8 2.Rxg8# Or 2.Qxg8#.

Question 26

White to play and mate in three

Answer 26

3-26: 1.Rg1+ Rg2 2.Rxg2+ Kh8 3.Rh7#.

Question 27

White to play and mate

Answer 27

3-27: 1.Rf8+ Rxf8+ 2.exf8Q#.

Question 28

White to play and mate

Answer 28

3-28: 1.Rb8+ Nc8 2.Rxc8+ Kxc8 3.Qa8# Even more spectacular is the queen sacrifice 1.Qd7+ Rxd7 2.Rb8+ Nc8 3.Nc6#.

Question 29

Black to play and mate

Answer 29

3-29: 1…Qxf1+ 2.Kxf1 Ra1+ 3.Qb1 Rxb1#.

Question 30

White to play and mate

Answer 30

3-30: 1.Qf7+ Kh8 2.Qxh7#.

Question 31

Black to play and mate

Answer 31

3-31: 1…Qe4#.

Question 32

White to play and mate

Answer 32

3-32: 1.Qf7+ Kh8 2.Qf8+ Rxf8 3.Rxf8#.

Question 33

Black to play and mate

Answer 33

3-33: 1…Ng3+ 2.hxg3 Rh5#.

Question 34

Black to play and mate

Answer 34

3-34: 1…Qd4+ 2.Kh1 Nf2+ 3.Kg1 Nh3+ 4.Kh1 Qg1+ 5.Rxg1 Nf2#.

Question 35

White to play and mate

Answer 35

3-35: 1.Rc8+ Nf8 2.Rxf8+ Kxf8 3.Qd8#.

Question 36

White to play and mate

Answer 36

3-36: 1.Rf1 Bb4 2.axb4 d6 3.Rf8#.

Question 37

Black to play and mate

Answer 37

3-37: 1…Qxf2+ 2.Kh1 Ng3#.

Question 38

White to play and mate

Answer 38

3-38: 1.Bg8+ The bishop clears the way. 1…Kxg8 1…Qh2 only delays mate. 2.Qh7#.

Question 39

White to play and mate

Answer 39

3-39: 1.Rxf4#.

Question 40

White to play and mate

Answer 40

3-40: 1.Qh3+ Kg8 2.Qh8# or 1.Qhe+ Kg6 2.Qf5#.