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Printable X-ray attack Puzzles

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

Printable worksheet

12 x-ray attack puzzles, every difficulty, with answer key

An X-ray attacks or defends through an intervening piece. The rear piece exerts force along the line even before the blocker moves, which produces surprising captures and defenses.

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.

X-ray attack — chess puzzle worksheet Name: ______________   Date: ______________
♜♚
♝
♟♖♟
♙♕
♙♙♟
♙♙
♛♘♔
#1 · black to move · rating 648
♜♚
♟♟♟
♕
♟♟
♙♙♛♙♞
♗♙♜♙
♖♖♔
#2 · white to move · rating 896
♜♚
♟♟♟
♟♖♞
♟♛
♙♗♙
♙♕
♙♙
♖♔
#3 · black to move · rating 1039
♚♜
♟♟♟
♗♟♛
♖♟♟
♜
♙♙♙
♙♙♙
♖♔
#4 · white to move · rating 1213
♜♚
♟♜♟♟♟
♟♝
♕♛
♗♙
♙♙♙♙
♖♖♔
#5 · white to move · rating 1390
♜♜♚
♟♟
♟♟
♙♖♕
♘♛
♙♙♙♖♙♙
♔
#6 · black to move · rating 1484
♜♜♚
♟♟♝♟
♟♟
♝♛♖♗
♟♙♙
♗♙
♙♙♕♙♔
♖
#7 · white to move · rating 1594
♜♜♚
♟♛♟♟
♟♞
♞
♙♟♝
♙♙♙
♙♘♕♗♙
♖♘♖♔
#8 · black to move · rating 1772
♚
♟♟
♛♟
♟♕
♟♖
♙
♙♜♙♙
♔
#9 · white to move · rating 1890
♜♚
♕♙♞♟♟
♟
♟
♙
♙♘♙
♙♛♙
♖♔
#10 · black to move · rating 2044
♚♜♜
♟♟♛♝
♟♞♟
♟♙♟♟
♗♙♟♝♙
♕
♙♙♙♗♙
♔♖♖
#11 · white to move · rating 2329
♛♜♚
♜♟
♖♟♝
♟♙
♕♘
♙♙♔
♖
#12 · white to move · rating 2785

Answer key

  1. #1 (puzzle 0LJAx): Qxf1+ → Rxf1 → Rxf1#
  2. #2 (puzzle 0QPDc): Qxf8+ → Rxf8 → Rxf8#
  3. #3 (puzzle 0BAKu): Qxb1+ → Qe1 → Qxe1+ → Rxe1 → Rxe1+
  4. #4 (puzzle 0HFWA): Rxd8+ → Rxd8 → Rxd8#
  5. #5 (puzzle 0OvvE): Qxe8+ → Rxe8 → Rxe8#
  6. #6 (puzzle 05Gq4): Qe1+ → Rf1 → Qxf1+ → Rxf1 → Rxf1#
  7. #7 (puzzle 0QTgq): Qxb5 → Qxb5 → Rxb5
  8. #8 (puzzle 0Alp4): exf3 → Nxf3 → Nxf3+ → Bxf3 → Qxe2 → Bxe2 → Bxe2
  9. #9 (puzzle 0KPBp): Qb8+ → Qc8 → Rd8+ → Qxd8 → Qxd8+
  10. #10 (puzzle 096SP): Qxf3+ → Kg1 → Ng5 → Qg3 → Nh3+ → Qxh3 → Qxh3
  11. #11 (puzzle 0CMCY): Qa8+ → Kd7 → Bxb5+ → c6 → Bxc6+ → bxc6 → Qxc6#
  12. #12 (puzzle 0UXwb): Nh5 → Rd6 → Nf6+ → Rxf6 → Rxf6

Positions from real rated games (CC0 data).