Learn How to Spot Back Rank Mate: Endgame Fork
This chess endgame puzzle shows how a seemingly active rook can become a mating weapon when the enemy king is boxed in by its own pieces. The key idea is to use a forcing check that also creates a fork-like threat, leaving the defender with only one reply. In classical chess, these patterns often appear when king safety is the dominant factor and one open file gives the attacking rook access to the back rank.