Beginner checkmate · 8 of 11
The back-rank mate
A rook or queen checks along the back rank, and the king is shut in by his own pawns.
- Learn how it worksThree examples with Capra. You play each one yourself.Three examples with CapraStart the lesson
- Practise on real puzzlesPractise on puzzles80 back-rank mate puzzles, from easy to very hard.0 of 80 solvedGo to the puzzlesGo to the puzzles
Three back-rank mates
The king is safe behind his pawns until a rook or a queen reaches the rank he stands on.
Shut in by pawns
The rook checks on the back rank, and the three pawns block every way out.
A guarded escape square
The h-pawn has moved to make room, but the bishop covers the escape square.
One guard too few
The queen gives herself up on the back rank, and the rook behind her will mate.
Back-rank mates in numbers
Counted from the 19,978 back-rank mates in our puzzle library, all taken from real games- 1 in 14
of our puzzles ends with a back-rank mate.
- 61%
of them are mate in 2.
- 72%
of them come in the endgame.
Which piece makes the first move
- Rook58%
- Queen37%
- Knight3%
- Bishop2%
- Pawn0%
How many moves the mate takes
- Mate in 123%
- Mate in 261%
- Mate in 315%
- Mate in 40%
- Mate in 5+0%
Good to know
Back-rank mates: common questions
What is a back-rank mate in chess?
A back-rank mate is a checkmate given by a rook or a queen along the first or eighth rank, against a king that cannot step forward because his own pawns are in the way.
How do I stop a back-rank mate?
Give the king an escape square by moving one of the pawns in front of him one step, usually the h-pawn or the g-pawn. Or keep a rook or the queen on the back rank to guard it.
What is luft?
Luft is the German word for air. It means the escape square you make by pushing a pawn in front of your castled king. It only works if your opponent does not control that square.
How do I spot a back-rank mate?
Look for a king behind unmoved pawns, then count. If more of your rooks and queens can reach the back rank than your opponent has pieces guarding it, there is usually a mate.