Just Chess! - Challenges and Puzzles for chess analysis

Board Challenges and Puzzles
"Play the opening like a book, the middle game like a magician, and the endgame like a machine" - Spielmann

Select any Challenge

Challenge 01

Challenge 02

Challenge 03

Challenge 04

Challenge 05

Challenge 06

Challenge 07

Challenge 08

Challenge 09

Challenge 10

Challenge 11

Challenge 12

Challenge 13

Challenge 14

Challenge 15

Challenge 16

Challenge 17

Challenge 18

Challenge 19

Challenge 20

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

1. Nxc6 Any move
2. Ne7 mate

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

1. Qxg5+ Kf7
2. Qg6++

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

1. Bxc4+ Ke7
2. Nf5#

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

1. Nd7+ Kc8
2. Rxa8#

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

1. Rb4 e2 (Nd7)
2. Rb7# (Na6#)

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

     1. Qd4+ Qxd4
     2. Nc6 mate or

     1. Qd4+ Rd7
     2. Nc6 mate (or Qxd7 mate) or

     but be careful
     1. Qf6+ Qe7+
     2. Qxe7 Rxe7+
     3. Be6 Rxe6 mate
     Note there are a number of variations all leading to a black win

Black to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

     1. ..... h3+
     2. Kh1 g2 mate
     (Note if black plays e1= then either stalemate will occur for a Queen or a Rook, or black cannot mate in two for a knight or Bishop)

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

     1. Qh6+ Kg8
     2. Qh8# or

     1. .... Kxh6
     2. g8=N#

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

     1. Nef6+ Kd8 (Kf8, Bxf6)
     2. Bc7# or

     1. .... Kf8
     2. Bd6# or

     1. ... Bxf6
     2. Qg8#

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

     1. Bc7+ Rd6 (or d6)
     2. Neg6#
     (Note Nfg6+ would allow the king to escape)

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

1. Rd3+ Ke5
2. Ng4#

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

1. Bd6+ Kd8
2. Rxb8# (or Rxg8#)

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

1. Nf5+ Kg8
2. Nh6#

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

1. Ne2 Ke4
2. Re6#

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

1. Nxh7+ Bxh7
2, Qf7#

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

1. Bc4+ Kc6
2. c8=Q#

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

     1. Qb2 Rxb2
     2. Rc8+ mate or

     1. Qb2 any move
     2. Qh8+ mate

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

1. Bd1+ Kb4
2. Nd3+ mate

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

1. Nxf5+ Bxf5
2. Qd5#

White to play and mate in two moves

Solution:

1. Ng6+ hxg6
2. Qh4# (Qh3#)