Opera mate

What is the opera mate?

In an opera mate a rook gives check on the back rank, right next to the king, and is protected by a bishop. The same bishop often covers one of the king's escape squares, and the king's own pieces take the rest.

The name comes from the Opera Game, where Paul Morphy mated this way in a box at the opera in Paris in 1858. Read more under the opera mate, and see the whole game under the Opera Game.

Look for a king that hasn't castled, an open file towards the back rank and a bishop aiming at the square next to the king.

How the puzzles work

There are 150 puzzles here. Choose a level above the board. Within each level the puzzles get harder and harder, and when you come back you pick up where you left off.

Your opponent makes the first move, then it's your turn. If you get stuck, Hint shows which piece to move, and Show the solution plays the rest. The theme only shows once the puzzle is done, but here you already know what you're looking for.

In Puzzle training you get puzzles in this theme at your own level, and see how you're doing in each theme.

More puzzles

• Mate in one
• Mate in two
• Mate in three
• Fork
• Pin
• Skewer
• Discovered attack
• Double check
• Sacrifice
• Deflection
• Attraction
• Hanging piece
• In-between move
• Back-rank mate
• Smothered mate
• Arabian mate
• Anastasia's mate
• Boden's mate
• Epaulette mate
• Swallow's tail mate
• Morphy's mate
• Pillsbury's mate
• Promotion
• Endgame
• Rook endgames
• Pawn endgames
• Zugzwang

The puzzles come from Lichess, fetched on November 1, 2026.

Updated November 14, 2026