Mate in Two: free chess puzzles, checkmate in 2 moves

What is Mate in Two?

Classic chess puzzles: White plays and mates in two moves. Find the key move; Black answers with the toughest defence; then you deliver checkmate. Every puzzle is checked by our engine.

Mate in Two is a set of classic chess puzzles: White to play and checkmate in two moves. Find the key move; the engine then plays Black's toughest defence; and you finish with checkmate. Every puzzle is verified by our chess engine: the key move forces mate against any defence, and there is no mate in one.

Puzzles start with clear patterns (the rook ladder, back-rank mates, king and rook) and grow harder, with quiet key moves that don't give check. A hint shows which piece to move, for half the points.

At a glance

Category

Skillz

Difficulty

Hard

Play time

5–10 min

Price

Free, in your browser, sign-up optional

How to play

Key move

Tap a white piece, then a square. Only moves that force mate count.

Defence

Black replies with its best defence, chosen by the engine.

Mate

Deliver checkmate in one. A hint shows which piece to move, for half the points.

Climb

Puzzles get harder. A wrong move costs a life.

Strategy and tips

Look for checks last

In mate-in-two, the key move is often quiet: it takes away squares instead of checking.

Count the escape squares

List where the black king can go; the key move covers those squares.

Think about every reply

A key move must work against all Black's answers, not just the obvious one.

Use your king

In endings, your king often covers the last escape squares.

Back rank

A king stuck behind its own pawns is a classic target.

Why play Mate in Two?

Mate-in-two puzzles train calculation: seeing a move, every reply and your answer to each. It's the core skill behind stronger chess and sharper planning in general.

Frequently asked questions