ChessPuzzlePrint
Chess Puzzles
One real puzzle after another. Pick a tactic and a difficulty, find the moves on the board, and see how long a clean streak you can build.
Free chess puzzles to solve online
The chess puzzle trainer runs in your browser and gives you real chess puzzles to solve. Every position comes from a rated game and has a stored solution, so you practise on the kind of moment that actually decides games. You can filter by tactic and difficulty, and the page tells you straight away whether each move is right. There is nothing to install and nothing to sign up for. The theme list covers the tactics and mating patterns on this site, such as forks, pins, skewers, back-rank mates and promotion tricks. Whether you are new to chess or want sharper tactics, you can start with one puzzle and keep going at your own pace.
How to use the chess puzzle trainer
- Choose a tactic, such as a fork, pin, mate in two or an endgame, or leave it on "Mixed themes".
- Choose a difficulty band, or leave it on "Any difficulty".
- You see the board from the side that has to move. Click the piece you want to move, then click its destination. Legal squares are highlighted.
- The page shows at once whether your move was right. If you are stuck, press "Hint". To watch the answer, press "Show solution". Both end your clean streak.
- Press "Next puzzle" to continue, or "Skip this puzzle" to move on without solving.
When a solution has more than one move, the opponent's reply is played for you and you carry on. The scoreboard tracks your clean streak, which is the number of puzzles solved with no wrong move, no hint and no peek at the answer.
A clean solve adds one to the streak, and any wrong move, hint or peek at the answer resets it to zero. Stay on one theme for a run of puzzles, so the same pattern repeats in different positions.
For paper practice, the worksheet generator builds a printable sheet with an answer key from the same collection.
How to solve chess puzzles
Before you touch a piece, look at the whole position and ask three questions. Which of your opponent's pieces are undefended? Which checks, captures and threats do you have? Which checks, captures and threats does your opponent have?
In a puzzle there is always something forcing: a check, a capture or a threat. Start by listing those moves for both sides. Only then choose a move.
What is a chess tactic?
A tactic is a short combination of moves that wins material or delivers checkmate. The main patterns are:
- Fork: one piece attacks two or more enemy pieces at once.
- Pin: a piece is attacked and cannot move without exposing a more valuable piece, or the king, behind it.
- Skewer: a pin in reverse. The more valuable piece stands in front and must move, exposing the piece behind it.
- Discovered attack: one piece moves out of the way and uncovers an attack by another piece.
- Back-rank mate: a rook or queen checkmates along the first or last rank against a king trapped behind its own pawns.
Are chess puzzles good for beginners and kids?
Yes, each puzzle shows a concrete pattern in a small space, so the trainer suits beginners and children. Stay on one theme for a while. Seeing the same pattern in different positions is how it becomes automatic.
If a puzzle is far too hard, drop one difficulty band instead of pressing "Hint" every time. Hints end the clean streak, so using fewer of them also keeps the score meaningful.
Can I keep going through the puzzles?
Yes. You can keep pressing "Next puzzle" to carry on, or skip any puzzle you do not want to solve. Each puzzle is a position from a real rated game, and the stored solution is the line the puzzle was built around.
Do I need an account?
No. There is nothing to sign up for. Your best streak is saved in your browser only, using local storage, and nothing is sent anywhere. Clearing your site data or using a different device starts the streak again from zero.
Can I print the puzzles?
Yes. The worksheet generator builds a printable sheet of puzzles with an answer key, drawn from the same collection. Printable worksheets of the same kind of puzzles are also on the theme pages, which is useful for practice away from the screen.
Examples
Questions and answers
What counts as a correct answer?
A move is correct when it matches the stored solution. Where several moves give checkmate, any checkmate is accepted.
What counts toward my clean streak?
A puzzle counts only if you solve it with no wrong move, no hint and without pressing "Show solution". Anything else resets the streak to zero.
Why does the opponent move on its own?
When the solution has more than one move, the opponent's reply is played for you so you can continue the line. You only choose your own moves.
Which side do I play?
You always see the board from the side that has to move, so you play whichever colour is due to move in that position.
Can I choose which tactic to practise?
Yes. Pick a tactic such as a fork, pin, skewer or back-rank mate, or leave it on "Mixed themes" to get a variety of patterns.
Will my streak follow me to another device?
No. The best streak is kept only in the browser you use, so a different device starts you again from zero.
What should I do if a puzzle is too hard?
Drop one difficulty band rather than relying on hints. You can move back up once the patterns feel familiar.
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