Essential finishing techniques and mates.
Mate in 1
Find checkmate in a single move.
Mate in 2
Calculate the two-move sequence to checkmate.
Two Bishops
Coordinate bishops of different colors to trap the king in the corner.
Two Rooks
Checkmate with two rooks without needing the king.
King and Rook
Fundamental technique: push the opposing king to the edge with the rook.
King and Queen
How to checkmate with king and queen against a lone king.
Bishop and Knight
The hardest endgame: king must go to the corner of the bishop's color.
King and Pawn
Promote the pawn using the rule of the square and opposition.
Mate in 3
Plan three moves ahead to deliver checkmate.
Queen and Rook
Quick mate with queen and rook working on neighbouring ranks.
Two Queens
Overwhelming material: the risk here is not failing, it is stalemate.
Queen and Bishop
The queen restricts, the bishop covers the escape square.
Queen and Knight
The knight covers squares the queen cannot reach.
Rook and Bishop
The rook cuts off, the bishop takes away the escape diagonal.
Connected Pawns
Two connected pawns defend each other on the way to promotion.
Rook and Knight
Awkward coordination, but mate is guaranteed with patience.
Three Knights
A theoretical curiosity: two knights cannot force mate, three can.