Chess Puzzles

Play and learn how the pros handle complex chess positions. These interactive chess puzzles help you to get better at chess, improve your concentration and learn some new tricks. Most of the positions occurred during famous games between Grandmasters and demonstrate tactical ideas encountered in actual play – no computer analysis here. Careful study of these positions will help you improve your skill in finding good moves and combinations in actual games. You will also learn a great deal about the planning and execution of combinational chess.

Click on any puzzle for details. From there you can solve the puzzle online or select its FEN string and, if you have the full version of SparkChess, paste it in the Board Editor to play from that position. All puzzles have solutions (hidden by default). Don’t forget to comment if you found an alternate (or better) solution!

Use the links on the side (or at the bottom on mobile devices) to see more puzzles. They are sorted in levels to allow everyone to improve their skills.

Chess puzzles are best for when you are idle and bored. They provide a good way to pass time and also improve your concentration, even if you are a beginner or Olympiad master. Learning how to solve these puzzles will improve the knowledge of beginning chess principles – seeing the right move in a position that your opponent overlooked. Our collection of interesting chess positions for online play or trainer mode is unique in that it includes mistakes that were made by top players. Everyone makes mistakes, and studying these common errors is a great way to learn about what not to do!

diagram of Bogdan Lalic vs A Summerscale chess puzzle

Bogdan Lalic vs A Summerscale

In Hastings 1993, Bogdan Lalic faced A Summerscale in a game that concludes with a beautiful mating pattern. White finds a way to finish the game in just three moves.
diagram of Jan Timman vs Marcel Sisniega chess puzzle

Jan Timman vs Marcel Sisniega

In Taxco, 1985, Jan Timman faced Marcel Sisniega in a game that concludes with a striking mating net. Find the four moves required for White to finish the game.
diagram of Joseph Blackburne vs Martin chess puzzle

Joseph Blackburne vs Martin

In 1876, Joseph Blackburne faced Martin in England and found a way to end the game quickly. White has a mate in two to conclude the match.
diagram of Walter Browne vs Jaime Sunye Neto chess puzzle

Walter Browne vs Jaime Sunye Neto

In Linares 1994, American Grandmaster Walter Browne found a way to finish the game against Jaime Sunye Neto. Can you find the three moves that lead to checkmate?
diagram of Dimitrij Bunzmann vs Thies Heinemann chess puzzle

Dimitrij Bunzmann vs Thies Heinemann

In 2007, Dimitrij Bunzmann faced Thies Heinemann in Germany in a game that led to a beautiful mate in three. See if you can find the winning finish for White.
diagram of Max Euwe vs Lohr chess puzzle

Max Euwe vs Lohr

In Amsterdam 1923, Max Euwe faced Lohr in a game that concludes with a beautiful mating pattern. Find the three moves that secure the win for White.
diagram of Nickolai Peregudov vs Vladimir Savon chess puzzle

Nickolai Peregudov vs Vladimir Savon

In a 1994 game from St. Petersburg, Vladimir Savon finds a way to overcome Nickolai Peregudov. Black manages to coordinate a decisive mating attack in just four moves.
diagram of Sergey Karjakin vs Vassily Ivanchuk chess puzzle

Sergey Karjakin vs Vassily Ivanchuk

In Moscow during 2008, Vassily Ivanchuk found a way to outmaneuver Sergey Karjakin. This puzzle challenges you to find the three-move mating net that ended the game.