Mate in 4 puzzles
Four moves to checkmate.
About mate in 4 puzzles
Four moves to checkmate. These are long forced lines, so write down candidate moves and check every reply.
How to spot it
- Start from the end. Which pieces will deliver the final check?
- Count your opponent's legal replies at each step. A forcing line shrinks to one or two.
- If you are lost, look for a way to attack the king with a check that wins material or leaves one move.
A common mistake
Calculating every reply. Follow only the forced ones; a good first move leaves one or two answers.
A worked example
R
R
K
KRRBlack to move. White has just played Rxa7. Find the checkmate in 4.
Solution: 37... Rb3+ 38. Kf4 g5+ 39. Kf5 Rb5+ 40. d5 Rxd5#
Rb3+ checks the king, so your opponent has to answer the check. The last move is checkmate: the king has no safe square and nothing can block or capture.
The highlighted squares show White's last move. This position is a different puzzle from the ones you start with above (1238 rating).
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Questions
How do I calculate four moves ahead?
Do not try to see everything. Pick checks first, list your opponent's legal replies, and follow each one only as far as it is forced.
Where do these puzzles come from?
They are real puzzles from the Lichess puzzle database, which is free to use under the CC0 license. Each one was built from a real game and tested by many players. We picked well-rated ones with good popularity scores.
Are the puzzles free?
Yes. There is no signup, no limit and no ads on the puzzles. Your progress on this page is not saved after you leave.
What do the difficulty levels mean?
Beginner puzzles are rated under 1250, intermediate 1250 to 1749 and advanced 1750 and up, using the rating Lichess players earned on each puzzle.