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Intermediate checkmate · 7 of 12

Mate in 3

Three moves that force checkmate, whatever your opponent replies.

  1. Learn how it worksThree examples with Capra. You play each one yourself.Three examples with Capra
    Start the lesson
  2. Practise on real puzzlesPractise on puzzles80 mate in 3 puzzles, from easy to very hard.0 of 80 solved
    Go to the puzzlesGo to the puzzles
black rookblack kingblack pawnblack pawnblack pawnblack rookblack pawnblack queenwhite queenwhite pawnwhite pawnwhite rookwhite king
The queen takes on f7 with check, then gives herself up on f8. The rook takes back, and that is mate in three.

A mate in 3 is three moves of yours and two replies. Checks keep those replies forced.

  • black rookblack kingwhite queenblack pawnblack pawnblack rookblack pawnblack queenwhite pawnwhite pawnwhite rookwhite king

    Queen and rook

    The queen takes on f7 with check. Next she gives herself up on f8, and the rook mates.

  • white rookblack kingblack pawnblack pawnblack rookblack pawnblack pawnwhite pawnwhite pawnwhite bishopwhite pawnwhite pawnwhite pawnwhite king

    Rook and bishop

    The rook takes with check and Black has to block. A bishop check and a rook capture finish it.

  • white bishopwhite rookblack kingblack pawnblack pawnwhite pawnblack queenwhite pawnwhite pawnwhite pawnwhite king

    One bishop, three moves

    The bishop checks on b8, steps back to uncover the rook, then mates on b6.

Mates in 3 in numbers

Counted from the 8,542 mates in 3 in our puzzle library, all taken from real games
  • 1 in 35

    of our puzzles ends with a mate in 3.

  • 52%

    of them start with a queen move.

  • 60%

    of them come in the endgame.

Which piece makes the first move

  • Queen52%
  • Rook34%
  • Bishop5%
  • Knight5%
  • Pawn4%

How many moves the mate takes

  • Mate in 3100%

Good to know

Mates in 3: common questions

What is a mate in 3 in chess?

A mate in 3 is a position where you can force checkmate with three moves of your own. You move, your opponent replies, you move, your opponent replies, and your third move is mate, whatever the replies were.

How do I solve a mate in 3?

Look at every check first, then captures, then threats. For each candidate, list the replies and make sure you have an answer to all of them. Forcing moves leave fewer replies, so the line is easier to see to the end.

Does a mate in 3 always start with a check?

No. Most do, and checks are the first thing to look at. Some start with a quiet move that takes away an escape square or sets up a threat that cannot be stopped.

Why is a mate in 3 so much harder than a mate in 2?

There is one more reply to think about, and every reply can branch. You have to picture the board four moves ahead before you play the first one.