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 Pauline Mertens vs Katrin Grohmann chess puzzle

Pauline Mertens vs Katrin Grohmann

In a 2010 game from Germany, Pauline Mertens faced Katrin Grohmann in a position that required careful calculation. White finds a way to force a mate in just three moves.
diagram of David Adams vs Mark Lyell chess puzzle

David Adams vs Mark Lyell

In Great Yarmouth during 2007, Mark Lyell found a way to finish the game against David Adams. Black has a mate in four to complete the task.
diagram of Efim Bogoljubov vs Rudolf Spielmann chess puzzle

Efim Bogoljubov vs Rudolf Spielmann

In Stockholm 1919, Efim Bogoljubov faced the legendary Rudolf Spielmann in a game that concludes with a decisive mating net. White finds a way to deliver mate in four moves.
diagram of Tea Bosboom-Lanchava vs Anna Muzychuk chess puzzle

Tea Bosboom-Lanchava vs Anna Muzychuk

During their 2004 meeting in Calvia, Anna Muzychuk found a powerful way to finish the game against Tea Bosboom-Lanchava. This puzzle asks you to find the mating net Black can weave in just four moves.
diagram of Dawid Przepiorka vs Erich Eliskases chess puzzle

Dawid Przepiorka vs Erich Eliskases

The game between Dawid Przepiorka, representing Poland and Erich Eliskases, an Austrian born chess player took place in Hamburg, Germany, 1930.
diagram of Frederick Yates vs. Aaron Nimzowitsch chess puzzle

Frederick Yates vs. Aaron Nimzowitsch

Germany, Hamburg,1910. The city of Hamburg hosted one of most interesting chess game between Frederick Yates and Aaron Nimzowitsch.
diagram of Paul Journoud vs. Jules Arnous de Rivière chess puzzle

Paul Journoud vs. Jules Arnous de Rivière

The confrontation between the well-known French players took place in 1860 at Café de la Régence chess club in Paris.
diagram of Siegbert Tarrasch vs. Max Kurschner chess puzzle

Siegbert Tarrasch vs. Max Kurschner

This is the endgame between two strong German chess players, Siegbert Tarrasch and Max Kurschner, in Nürnberg, 1893. With a surprising sacrifice, white won in two moves. Can you find Siegbert’s moves?