Learn the classic chess checkmate patterns

Strong players don’t calculate every mate from scratch — they recognise the pattern. This site teaches 39 classic checkmate patterns, from the back-rank mate to Anastasia’s, Boden’s and the Arabian mate. Each pattern is a short puzzle on an interactive board: find the mating move, get a hint if you need one, and read how the pattern works once you’ve solved it.

When you know the patterns, test yourself in Practice: random positions where the pattern is hidden, so you have to spot it on your own.