Real positions. Quiet practice.
Printable Defensive move Puzzles
Search 49,500 locally indexed real-game positions, narrow them by motif, difficulty or rating, then play each stored tactical line directly on the board without an upstream connection.
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.
Positions from the Lichess open puzzle database (CC0). The answer key prints on the last page.
Defensive move — chess puzzle worksheet
Name: ______________ Date: ______________
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Answer key
- Puzzle 0xVZ4: e4e5 → b3b4 → e5d4 → b4b5 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 0DIr7: f5f4 → g3g4 → c2g2 → g4f5 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 0VHtR: d1h5 → d7g4 → b3f7 → e8e7 → h5g4 → e5g4 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 0IXTh: g3h3 → h6h5 → g4h5 → g5h5 → h3g3 → h5g5 → g3f3 → g5f5 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 0BKQ2: h5h6 → g5g4 → h6h5 → f5f4 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 05DPu: g5f4 → e6f6 → f4e3 → f6f2 → e3f2 → a5a4 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 0gb96: c4c5 → e8e2 → f5h3 → e2f2 → a1e1 → a7a6 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 1NOYv: e2e6 → b3a3 → e6h6 → c3e3 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 0bTS4: c5e5 → b1g6 → g7h8 → h5e2 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 09C7E: d5d1 → h3h2 → e6e5 → g6g5 → d1d8 → g3e1 → d8g8 → g5h4 → g8h8 → h4g3 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 1irf1: f1e2 → f4e4 → e2d2 → h6g5 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 2Pvgu: e1e5 → e7e5 → f4e5 → f5f3 → g2f3 → g8h7 → g1f2 → h7g6 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
Source: Lichess open puzzle database · database.lichess.org · CC0