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Real positions. Quiet practice.

Printable Hanging piece Puzzles

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

Printable worksheet

12 hanging piece puzzles, every difficulty, with answer key

A hanging piece is simply an enemy unit left undefended or under-defended. The tactic is direct: attack it faster than it can be saved, or capture it outright.

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.

Hanging piece — chess puzzle worksheet Name: ______________   Date: ______________
♜♞♝♚♝♜
♟♟♟♟♟♟
♟
♛♙
♞
♕
♙♙♗♙♙♙
♖♘♔♗♘♖
#1 · white to move · rating 600
♘♜♚
♟♟♟
♟♟
♙♛♟♙♙♗
♙
♙♕♙♙
♖♔
#2 · black to move · rating 738
♙♟
♟
♔♚
♙
♜♟
♖
#3 · white to move · rating 896
♟♟
♖♟♚♟
♟♛♗
♙♙♙
♖♔
#4 · black to move · rating 1140
♚♜
♟♟
♟♟♕
♟
♛♙
♙♝♙♙
♔♖
#5 · white to move · rating 1322
♜♜♚
♟♟♟♟♟♞
♖♝♟
♙
♙♝♙
♙♗♕♙♙
♖♔
#6 · black to move · rating 1534
♚♜♜
♟♝♝
♟♟♛♗♟
♞♟
♙♘
♙♙♘
♙♕♙♙
♖♖♔
#7 · black to move · rating 1691
♚
♟♟
♙
♙♔♙
♞
♗
#8 · black to move · rating 1905
♖
♚♟♟
♟♝♗♟
♛♙
♘♞♕
♙
♙♙♙♙
♔
#9 · black to move · rating 2094
♚
♟♟♟
♟
♙♙♞♟
♕♙♞♟♛
♔♙
♘♜
♖♖
#10 · white to move · rating 2300
♜♚
♟♟♟♟
♟♝♟
♙
♛♙
♙♕♞♘
♔♙
♖♖
#11 · white to move · rating 2521
♞
♙♔
♙♚♟
♙
♟♙
#12 · white to move · rating 2796

Answer key

  1. #1 (puzzle 0ArtR): Qxc8#
  2. #2 (puzzle 0sMBG): Qxe1#
  3. #3 (puzzle 0PWI1): Rxb2 → h1=Q → b8=Q
  4. #4 (puzzle 0GWOP): Qxa1#
  5. #5 (puzzle 04tI7): Qxg8+ → Ka7 → Kxd2
  6. #6 (puzzle 0Enqy): Bxe1 → Rxd8 → Rxd8
  7. #7 (puzzle 06iSl): Qxg6 → Rxd8+ → Rxd8
  8. #8 (puzzle 050C0): Nxc2+ → Kc3 → Ne3
  9. #9 (puzzle 0BflT): Qxe4 → h3 → Qe1+ → Kh2 → Ne2 → Qxe2 → Qxe2
  10. #10 (puzzle 0xGMO): Nxe4 → Qh3 → Rf1
  11. #11 (puzzle 07BkM): Qxe3 → Qc4 → Qc3
  12. #12 (puzzle 0eJLn): Kxa8 → f2 → Kb8 → f1=Q → a8=Q → Qf8+ → Ka7

Positions from real rated games (CC0 data).