Sometimes in chess we have checkmate very close to us, but we don't see the combination of moves necessary to achieve it but, when we look deeper once we are in the postgame analysis, we see it.
It's important to always be on the lookout for forced checkmate in 3 moves once we are in the midgame. This means three of your moves and two of your opponent's moves. If you look at your forcing options, you'll often be able to spot these longer winning combinations.

Looking at the most forcing moves available first can help you find complicated checkmates.

***


![image.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYYQ2YrNyVdBSwscqS9ncFdNWJuktozV23XuX1Hq4Y389/image.png)

This one might seem tricky because of how many pieces are in the board, but remember that sometimes sacrificing pieces to open up check spaces is good.


![image.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmURSzxp89NfkEgUS5HNoEpgg47VHiXuTxy1fvzcv7EXWw/image.png)


Power chess in action! If Black moved the king to a8 instead of capturing the queen, Qc8 would force checkmate. How can White win now? Sacrificing the Queen was the right move.


![image.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmdZbXDYwXZYbytcWJJMM8REuvihV5jwPzGW4L85NSJndY/image.png)

We traded a Queen for a knight but opened up spaces to take the rook and check at the same time, forcing the rook to block the path to mate, but we have a rook there to take it, delivering mate.


![image.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWpyXspcNvPP5ccoLxoNDFqCkPfbgMZzxBXdkJjUccF2Y/image.png)

Either rook to d8 delivers mate.