Advanced checkmate · 14 of 15
The triangle mate
A queen and a rook, one square apart on a file or rank, mate a king at the third corner of the triangle.
- Learn how it worksThree examples with Capra. You play each one yourself.Three examples with CapraStart the lesson
- Practise on real puzzlesPractise on puzzles80 triangle mate puzzles, from easy to very hard.0 of 80 solvedGo to the puzzlesGo to the puzzles
Three triangles
The shape is always the same. Queen and rook stand on one line with a gap between them, and the king sits beside the gap.
On a file
The queen and the rook share the e-file. The king beside them is blocked by his own pawn.
On the edge
The rook takes on f7 with check. The queen comes to h7 next, and the king on the back rank is mated.
After a trade
A rook check starts a trade on d8 that pulls the king up to e7, into the triangle.
Triangle mates in numbers
Counted from the 319 triangle mates in our puzzle library, all taken from real games- 1 in 900
of our puzzles ends with a triangle mate.
- 65%
of them are mate in 1.
- 62%
of them come in the endgame.
Which piece makes the first move
- Queen72%
- Rook27%
- Pawn1%
- Bishop0%
How many moves the mate takes
- Mate in 165%
- Mate in 233%
- Mate in 32%
- Mate in 5+0%
Good to know
Triangle mates: common questions
What is a triangle mate in chess?
A triangle mate is a checkmate by a queen and a rook that stand on the same file or rank with one square between them. The king is next to that gap, so the three pieces make a triangle. The queen gives the check, and the two pieces guard each other.
Does the king have to be on the edge of the board?
No. The queen and the rook cover every square around the king except the one straight across from the gap. On the edge that square does not exist. Away from the edge it has to be blocked by one of his own pieces, usually a pawn.
How do I set up a triangle mate?
Give a rook check on the back rank or the seventh rank that makes the king step next to the rook. Then look for a queen check on the same line as the rook, one square away from it.
How do I defend against a triangle mate?
Keep the square across from the gap free, so the king can step through, or guard the square the queen needs for her check. Trading queens ends the danger altogether.