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Printable Defensive move Puzzles

Real positions from rated games. Narrow them by motif, difficulty or rating, then solve or print each one.

Printable worksheet

12 defensive move puzzles, every difficulty, with answer key

Defensive puzzles ask you to hold, not to win: find the only move that parries the threat, escapes the net or forces perpetual resources for the defender.

Solve these online instead Customise: pick difficulty, count and paper size

Positions come from real rated games. The answer key prints on the last page.

Defensive move — chess puzzle worksheet Name: ______________   Date: ______________
♔♟
♚
♙
#1 · white to move · rating 602
♜
♟♞♚
♟♗♖
♟♟
♙♟
♙♔
♙♜♙
♖
#2 · white to move · rating 1536
♜♛♚♝♜
♟♝♟♟
♟♟♟
♞♕
♙♘
♗♙
♙♙♙♗♙
♖♔♖
#3 · black to move · rating 1835
♟♟♟
♙♟♙♟♚
♙♙♙
♔
#4 · black to move · rating 2007
♟♟♔
♙♝♚♟
♙
♖
#5 · black to move · rating 2151
♚
♟♜♟
♟♟
♙♔
♙♙
♙♖
#6 · black to move · rating 2260
♚♜
♟♟♟♟♟♟
♙♙♗
♕♙♛
♙♙♙♞
♖♔
#7 · black to move · rating 2373
♟♕
♙♝
♚♜
♟
♔
#8 · black to move · rating 2465
♜
♜♚
♟♝♟
♛♟♗
♟♟
♙♟♖
♙♙♙
♕♖♔
#9 · white to move · rating 2564
♟♔♚
♟
♙♟
♙♙♝♟
♖
#10 · black to move · rating 2658
♕
♟♚
♟
♙♛
♙
♔
#11 · black to move · rating 2727
♚
♟♜♟♟
♟♟
♟♖♛
♙♙♙
♙♕♙
♙
♔
#12 · black to move · rating 2799

Answer key

  1. #1 (puzzle 0xVZ4): b4 → Kd4 → b5
  2. #2 (puzzle 0DIr7): Kg4 → Rxg2+ → Kf5
  3. #3 (puzzle 0VHtR): Bg4 → Bxf7+ → Ke7 → Qxg4 → Nxg4
  4. #4 (puzzle 0IXTh): h5 → gxh5 → Kxh5 → Kg3 → Kg5 → Kf3 → Kf5
  5. #5 (puzzle 0BKQ2): g4 → Kh5 → Kf4
  6. #6 (puzzle 05DPu): Rf6+ → Ke3 → Rxf2 → Kxf2 → a4
  7. #7 (puzzle 0gb96): Re2 → Bh3 → Rf2 → Re1 → a6
  8. #8 (puzzle 1NOYv): Ka3 → Qh6 → Re3
  9. #9 (puzzle 0bTS4): Qg6+ → Kh8 → Be2
  10. #10 (puzzle 09C7E): h2 → Ke5 → Kg5 → Rd8 → Be1 → Rg8+ → Kh4 → Rh8+ → Kg3
  11. #11 (puzzle 1irf1): Qxe4+ → Kd2 → Kg5
  12. #12 (puzzle 2Pvgu): Rxe5 → fxe5 → Qxf3 → gxf3 → Kh7 → Kf2 → Kg6

Positions from real rated games (CC0 data).