Back-rank mate
Deliver or prevent back-rank mates by controlling flight squares and key defenders.
Back-rank mate
The king is trapped by its own pawns and mated on the last rank. This motif is common in blitz and endgames.
Mutual back-rank threat
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
- e1: White rook
- e8: Black rook to capture
Attacking
Open a file and control flight squares before invading the 8th/1st rank.
- Queen + rook battery
- Deflect or overload the defender (rook or queen)
- Sacrifice on h7/h2
Defending
Create luft and avoid passive rooks.
- Play h6/h3
- Don't stack rooks passively
- Trade the attacking rook
Common patterns
Two rooks on the same file, rook behind a passer, or defender overloaded on the back rank.
- Closed back rank (f/g/h pawns unmoved)
- Rook overloaded defending both file and a piece
- Intermediate check to drag the king onto the rank
Training
Automate spotting flight squares and the key defensive rook.
- 10 back-rank puzzles daily
- Give yourself luft early (h6/h3) as habit
- Compare lines with and without luft to understand risk