A back rank mate is checkmate by a rook or queen on the first or eighth rank, against a king that its own pawns stop from leaving that rank.
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A castled king behind three unmoved pawns cannot leave its back rank. Every check along that rank is a mating threat, so the pieces guarding it cannot leave.
How to do it
- 1Check whether the enemy king has a square off its back rank.
- 2Count the pieces guarding the back rank, and remove or deflect them.
- 3Land a rook or queen on the back rank with check.
For your level
The king is stuck behind its pawns. A rook checks it on the back row. That can be checkmate.
Check you have it
Question 1 of 2
Play the moves through. What has happened to the king?
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Question 2 of 2
After the last move, how many legal moves does the mated side have?
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Common mistakes
- Checking on the back rank when a defender can take the checking piece.
- Never making a square for your own king, and losing the same way.
Questions
- How do I stop a back rank mate?
- Give your king a square by moving one pawn in front of it, often h3 or h6. This is called making luft. Keeping a rook or queen guarding the back rank also works.