The ladder mate is lesson 4 of 7 in Endgame 1: Basic mates and running pawns, an endgame course suited to players rated around 600 (beginners). Two rooks mate without the king: one rook cuts off a rank, the other checks on the next one. It has 6 interactive exercises: 6 calculated lines from real positions. You play every move on a board and get feedback straight away. The lesson is free.
What you practise
White to move: mate in 3. (2 positions)
Black to move: mate in 2. (3 positions)
White to move: mate in 2.
Worked examples
White to move: mate in 3. 1.Re7 Kf8 2.Rc7 Ke8 3.Ra8#. The rooks took turns until the king ran out of ranks. Mate in 3.
Black to move: mate in 2. 1...Rb4 2.Ka2 Ra8#. The rooks took turns until the king ran out of ranks. Mate in 2.
chessGM