Questions tagged [puzzles]
Often, a puzzle type of problem in which a tactical or positional solution is required, like White/Black to move and win”, in what is often a middlegame or endgame-esqe position. But a puzzle can also be a chess riddle, chess math, or any other non-normal chess problem. Questions about solving puzzles, puzzle apps and websites, how to understand the idea behind a puzzle, etc. are also on-topic.
190 questions
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Does whose turn is next impact material advantage?
My second grader is preparing for the UIL Chess Puzzle Solving competition in January and I've been reviewing the question types to help him and his club prepare. These tests contain 20 multiple ...
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Looking for a chess puzzle
I recall seeing this chess puzzle in a historic puzzle book that had many different types of puzzles, one each of each genre. The puzzle had a very unusual setup and the challenge was to find the one ...
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Lichess puzzle #iuE9g
In Lichess Puzzle Storm, I encountered this puzzle with rating of 1086: https://lichess.org/training/iuE9g
[Event ""]
[Site ""]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round ""]
[...
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Unsure how to solve Pychess daily puzzle (9/19/24, Chennis)
This is today's chess variant puzzle on Pychess:
The goal of this puzzle is to find a mate in 2 with White to move in the chess variant Chennis, which is a game created by Couch Tomato in 2021 which ...
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I'm not quite sure I understand this daily puzzle on Lichess (9/6/24)
So I am attempting to solve the 9/6/24 daily puzzle on Lichess right now:
[Fen ""]
[Title "Black wins"]
[Startply "37"]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.e3 Bg7 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6....
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Is it possible to create a board position where White must make the move that leads to stalemating Black to avoid Black stalemating White?
It's pretty common to see positions where White has to checkmate Black to stop Black from checkmating White. I was wondering about the same concept with stalemate.
At first, I thought it was ...
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Threefold repetition: what's the minimum number of pieces and/or material points required?
I found the following position online where White's best course is to force a threefold repetition with the sequence Qg5-Kh8-Qf6-Kg8 because all other moves lose:
[Title ""]
[FEN "q4rk1/...
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Puzzles where the goal is to avoid being checkmated in x or fewer moves
Is there a name for puzzles where the goal is to avoid being checkmated in x moves?
An example is this puzzle:
[Title "White to play and avoid being mated on or before move 4 (there is a unique ...
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Maximum saved moves to win caused by zugzwang
For a zugzwang where x>y and:
If white has the move, White can force checkmate in x full moves
If Black has the move, White can force checkmate in y full moves
The score of such a zugzwang is x-y....
- 1,003
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What's the maximum amount of material that a puzzle with unique solution can have?
It's OK if the position is impossible to reach as long as it's (forward-rules wise) legal, like a board with nothing but 2 kings and queens.
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What makes alternative winning conditions good or bad in chess variants?
For chess variants that keep all or most of chess movement rules but with different winning conditions (can be in addition to the normal winning condition or replacing it), what properties/...
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Relationship between having a selfmate and having a checkmate?
Usually in selfmate problems white has material advantage to be able to force black to checkmate white, so white likely has a conventionally better position or has a forced checkmate. But not always, ...
- 602
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The worst possible move [duplicate]
The "worst possible move" must have the following characteristics:
With one exception, all legal moves would mate the opponent.
The player to move makes that exceptional move.
After that, ...
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My next question on a sacrifice
I'm just staring at this sacrifice without seeing the solution, anyone kindly help to me ?
[fen "4r1k1/3b1p2/6p1/1BPpn2p/7n/r3PqN1/2Q1RPPP/1R3NK1 w - - 0 1"]
[Startflipped "1"]
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What program/website shows the last captured piece in displaying the last move played in a position?
The following image appeared in the question Can anyone explain this sacrifice?
You can see a pawn is captured. Sometimes a position will show the last move played or whose move it is but doesn't ...
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Why is this the correct answer to chesspuzzle.net puzzle 37161?
https://chesspuzzle.net/Puzzle/37161
[FEN "r4rk1/2p2n1q/1p1b4/3Pp3/2Q2pP1/P1N1B2P/1P4P1/2RR2K1 w - - 0 1"]
1. Ne4
The answer given is Ne4, which is followed by the pawn on f4 capturing ...
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Is double "pure stalemate" reachable in a normal game? [duplicate]
Define "pure stalemate" as a position where the player is not in check, and has no legal moves, even without considering whether a move would place them in check. (So every piece is blocked ...
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How often can the initial position be repeated under FIDE tournament rules?
Recently a game was played where two GMs swapped kingside and queenside knights and then agreed a draw (and got their just dessert): How often can the starting position be repeated in a game without ...
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What is the best move in algebraic chess notation? [closed]
I can't fine the best move with algebraic chess notation.
[Title "White to Move"]
[FEN "r3n1rk/q3NQ1p/p2pbP2/1p4p1/1P1pP1P1/3R4/P1P4P/3B2K1 w - - 0 1"]
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What are the longest "golden sequences" in chess? (sacrificial middlegame attacks)
Initially, I was interested in the question "what are the longest sacrificial middlegame attacks?" ([Kasparov's Immortal] is one of the most famous sacrificial middlegame attacks). But this ...
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"Every" move in long notation
A move here shall be defined as the FIDE super-long notation of a legal chess move: Sg1-f3, O-O, e5xd6 ep, Da8xg8+, Rd1-d6# and whatnot. I.e. starting square, ending square, capture sign, check sign, ...
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Most mate options after 6 moves
Found this construction problem from '83 and liked it. I don't know the best solution (yet), and maybe you can top it anyway.
Consider the (help) "game" 1.e4 a6 2.Bc4 a5 3.Qh5 a4. Now White ...
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Creating a Position with Defined Possibilities within N Ply (for engine testing)
DEFINITIONS
The definitions of "cook" and "dual" I'm using (which are the standard definitions if I understand them correctly) are:
Cook: A position where the attacking side, on ...
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2
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Max percentage of mating pieces
In the newest SCHWALBE, positions are given where any piece on the board can give a check (any being surprisingly high). A quick dabbling seems to prove that it is not possible that any piece can mate....
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Mate in 2 from "The soviet Chess Primer" but wrong
I found this exercise on page 51 of the "The soviet chess primer" and I think there is a mistake. Chess.com analysis says there is a mate in 13 moves.
I'm correct thinking there is a mistake?...
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How does Chess.com calculate puzzle rating?
How does chess.com calculate puzzle rating? I am curious because today, I managed to gain rating while incorrectly solving a puzzle. Could someone help me out? (Also on puzzles that are already rated, ...
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Best move in algebraic notation
I have no experience in chess, and I tried my best to answer this question myself but am finding difficulties. What is the answer? It's for another game.
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Only Rook endgame!
Is it possible to win (black or white) in this position?
[fen "2k5/5R2/8/4K3/r7/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
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Is there a real version of the chess puzzle from The Yiddish Policeman's Union? If not - can it be made?
I will preface this by saying that the following contains a spoiler for Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policeman's Union, so tread carefully.
Chess features heavily in the book and a major plot point is ...
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Castling on King side [closed]
This is a quiz from a chess website. The challenge is to castle on King Side. White to play. How can we do this ?
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Is there any program which I can use to train custom tactics puzzles?
Essentially, I would like to have the following features/workflow:
I obtain a .pgn file with (puzzle) positions and moves (the solutions)
I load that .pgn into the program and then solve (...
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Searching games by chess positions
I have a somewhat weird question that is only indirectly related to chess. I am trying to solve a chess-related puzzle in which I have to find games played by Soviet chess players based on positions. ...
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Examples of interactive exercises to play chess with nullmoves
I am looking for interactive exercises that involve playing chess against computer which makes nullmoves allowing the learner to attack without thinking of defense. I know of one platform which allows ...
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Why would white play Qf5
I was playing the following puzzle on lichess playing the black pieces and found the move Bf5, expecting either Qe2 or Qe3, resulting in me taking the white bishop on c2 and completing the puzzle.
The ...
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Do "white to lose in X" puzzles exist?
The most common form of chess puzzle is white/black to win in X.
I'm curious whether a form of "white to lose in X" exists. For instance, a position that seems winning for white, but if they ...
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Good chess puzzle that involves queen running around the board?
Do you have any good puzzles where the queen traverses across the board, which are ideally not too difficult or too many steps?
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White to play and win - only moving the rook once
[Title "White to play and win - only moving the rook once"]
[fen "k7/8/8/8/8/8/8/K1R5 w - - 0 1"]
This is an exercise in using the opposition and outflanking from John Hawkins' ...
- 100k
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1
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Shatranj puzzle by Aladdin - white to play and win
[Title "White to play and win"]
[fen "3qrb2/4k3/2p1NpRp/P3pPpP/2Pp2r1/BP1R1pP1/2Qnpr2/5B1K w - - 0 1"]
This is attributed to Ala'Addin (aka Aladdin).
Reminder, the rules of ...
- 100k
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Can a castling checkmate be engineered from this position?
I get the following position pretty often in online bullet as White. It's mate in a few (for instance, 9. Bf4+ Kc5 10. Qd5+ Kb6 11.Qb5#). Needless to say, the setup is dubious.
This looks like a prime ...
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Hexagonal Chess Puzzle - Black to play and win
Published in Hex Press 4 - September 1977 and taken from the game Armstrong vs Springgay
Reminder of the rules here.
Hint 1: If black could lure the white queen to g7 then Ne5+ would discover an ...
- 100k
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Anti-Tactics Chess Puzzles?
Many websites (such as chess.com) provide chess tactic puzzles and I am wondering about the value of "anti-tactic" puzzles. By anti-tactic, I mean a position where if I make a careless move, ...
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Black to play and win but why was the move played a blunder?
In the position below Minic just had to play one move to reach the time control and, in those days, the adjournment which would have given his team a chance to find the win. Unfortunately he blundered ...
- 100k
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White to play and win
A really tough one to start the New Year from national master Nelson Lopez
[title "White to move and win"]
[fen "1rkb4/pNp5/8/2N4p/8/5B2/4K3/8 w - - 0 1"]
- 100k
6
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2
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756
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Help understanding lichess puzzle 274165037
Link to puzzle:
https://lichess.org/training/274165037
I got the correct solution first try, but I don't understand what it accomplishes. Seems the king can escape via f2 and rook h1 should deal with ...
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Why is this puzzle solved [closed]
I did the following puzzle on chess.com:
And it shows solved with the following configuration:
I do not see why this is a solution. Black can take the Rook, and I don't see how to punish it.
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Chess middle game puzzle online for free
Recently, I was looking for a website where I can find only middle game puzzles. I found the website, I had solved most of the puzzles in less than a minute (If I get enough time, I can solve any ...
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Are randomly created Queen's Quadrille and Hippodrome puzzles always solvable?
I found two chess puzzles on chessvariants.com, Queens's Quadrille and Hippodrome.
I'm thinking of creating random Queen's Quadrille and Hippodrome puzzles with a computer program.
My question is can ...
1
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1
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151
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Minority Breakthrough
Consider the following well-known motif:
[FEN "8/1k6/5pp1/7p/7P/6P1/8/7K b - - 0 1"]
Black wins even with Ka8, but being true Patzer:
1...g5?? 2.g4! Kmoch's crosslever, 1-0.
Now in the ...
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22
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7
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Why do chess puzzles need a unique solution?
Why do chess puzzles need a unique solution?
This is different from real games, where such situations do occur, but more frequently, there are multiple avenues to success. Contrary to what one might ...
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4
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2
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212
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Why trade rook for bishop and knight in this puzzle?
The puzzle https://lichess.org/training/kFzbF has position
[Title "Black to move"]
[FEN "r3rnk1/1bq2pp1/1ppb1n1p/p2p4/3P1B2/P2B1N1P/1PPQNPP1/3RR1K1 b - - 1 16"]
and the solution ...
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