Accomplished Puzzles

Step 3 - Accomplished Puzzles

If you can't solve a puzzle in a few seconds you should set it up on a board.

Try for a few minutes to solve it without moving the pieces. See if you can work out all the key variations.

If you can't solve it after a few minutes, you can start moving the pieces around, or if you have solved it in your head check it by moving the pieces before looking at the solution.

White to play.

White has several promising moves but one is much stronger than the rest.

Solution

Black to play.

No clues to this one!

Solution

White to move

White has a big advantage.   How does she win quickly?

Solution

Black to move

Black looks like he is under pressure with his rook and knight under attack.   How does he turn the tables?

Solution

White to move

White has two ways of winning a pawn.   Can you find them both?
And which is better and why?

Solution

White to move

This position is won for white but be careful!

Solution

Black to move

There’s a lot going on here.  How does black emerge on top?

Solution

White to move

How does white win material?

Solution

White to move

Wihte can win a pawn here with a clever tactic.   It is worth studying this puzzle in particular as this tactic arises quite often in some variations of the Sicilian Defence (1.e4 c5) and the English Opening (1.c4)

Solution

Black to move

White has just played Nxd5 thinking he has won a pawn because the knight on f6 is pinned to the queen on d8.

What is black’s devastating reply?

Solution

White to move

How does white win material?   And how does he or she finish the game quickly after that?

Solution

Black to move

Black is a pawn down.   How does he or she turn the tables on white?

Solution

Black to move

Black is a pawn down but his pieces are more active than white’s.  How should he or she capitalise on this?  See how far and how accurately you can calculate.

Solution

White to move

How does he or she finish the game quickly?

Solution

Black to move

A puzzle of pins and forks.   Be careful!

Solution

Black to move

White is threatening to queen a pawn.  Can you find the simplest way for black to win?

Solution

Black to move

Black’s queen and bishop are attacked as is the white knight.   How does black emerge on top?

Solution

Wihte to move

Mate in four moves

Solution