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Printable Opening tactics Puzzles

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

Printable worksheet

12 opening tactics puzzles, every difficulty, with answer key

Punishments for early mistakes: development leads converting into material, uncastled kings caught in the center and classic opening traps from real games.

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.

Opening tactics — chess puzzle worksheet Name: ______________   Date: ______________
♜♚♝♜
♟♟♟♟
♝♛
♟
♘
♙♙
♙♕♙♘♙♙♙
♖♗♔♖
#1 · black to move · rating 600
♜♚♝♜
♟♟♟♟♟
♛♞
♟♙♙
♞
♗♘
♙♙♙♘♙♙
♖♗♕♔♖
#2 · black to move · rating 736
♜♞♝♜♚
♟♟♟♟♝♟
♟
♙♘♛
♘
♙♙♙♙♙♙
♖♕♖♔
#3 · white to move · rating 902
♜♝♚♝♜
♟♟♟♟♟♟
♟
♞
♗♙
♕♙
♙♙♙♙♘♛♙
♖♘♗♔♖
#4 · black to move · rating 1048
♜♛♚♞♜
♟♟♟♟♟
♟
♟♞
♗♙♙
♘
♙♙♕♙
♖♔♗♖
#5 · black to move · rating 1205
♜♞♛♚♜
♟♟♟♟♝♟
♟♟
♕♝
♙♙
♘
♙♙♙♙♙
♖♗♔♗♖
#6 · black to move · rating 1341
♚♜♝♜
♟♟♟♟♟♟
♟♞♛
♙
♙♙♞
♘♙
♙♙♗♙
♖♗♕♖♔
#7 · black to move · rating 1508
♜♞♚♜
♟♟♟♟♟
♟♟
♟♙♝♛
♙♙♙
♘♗
♙♙♙♔♙
♖♕♗♖
#8 · black to move · rating 1665
♚♜♝♞♜
♟♟♟♟♘♟
♛
♙
♞♟
♘♗♙
♙♙♝♗♙♙
♖♕♔♖
#9 · black to move · rating 1888
♜♛♜♚
♟♝♟♟♝
♟♟♗♟♟
♙
♞♘♙
♙♙♙♗♙
♖♕♖♔
#10 · white to move · rating 2090
♜♝♚♜
♟♟♟♟♝♟
♟
♛
♗♗
♘♙♙
♙♙♘♙
♖♕♖♔
#11 · black to move · rating 2386
♜♝♚♞
♟♟♟♕
♟♟
♛♞
♙♙
♙♗♙♝♙♙♙
♖♔♗♖
#12 · black to move · rating 2797

Answer key

  1. #1 (puzzle 0ADwy): Qxe2#
  2. #2 (puzzle 0ZhPx): Qxf2#
  3. #3 (puzzle 08i3m): Nxe7+ → Kh8 → Nxf5
  4. #4 (puzzle 06XZx): Nf3+ → Qxf3 → Qxf3
  5. #5 (puzzle 04hML): Nf3+ → Kd1 → Nxd4
  6. #6 (puzzle 09b6c): c6 → Qxf5 → gxf5
  7. #7 (puzzle 0QaRJ): Bc5+ → Kh1 → Nf2+ → Rxf2 → Bxf2
  8. #8 (puzzle 0QNjF): Bxg4+ → Kd2 → Bxd1 → Rxh5 → Bxh5
  9. #9 (puzzle 0L5TH): Qxf7 → a3 → Nd3+ → Bxd3 → Bxd3
  10. #10 (puzzle 0PDw0): Bxc3 → Bxc3 → bxc3
  11. #11 (puzzle 0Ted4): Qxd4+ → Kf1 → Rh1+ → Ke2 → Bc5
  12. #12 (puzzle 1Vw9v): Bg4+ → Be2 → Rd8 → Qxg8+ → Ke7

Positions from real rated games (CC0 data).