Real positions. Quiet practice.
Printable Zugzwang 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 zugzwang puzzles, every difficulty, with answer key
Zugzwang wins by giving the opponent the move when every legal reply worsens their position. It is the signature weapon of pawn and minor-piece endgames.
Positions from the Lichess open puzzle database (CC0). The answer key prints on the last page.
Zugzwang — chess puzzle worksheet
Name: ______________ Date: ______________
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Answer key
- Puzzle 0bzbM: c4b4 → e6d5 → b4c3 → d5c5 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 0TaM0: b3c4 → f4e5 → c4c3 → e5d5 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 0TReG: e6e5 → d2c3 → e5d4 → e3d4 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 0QU9i: g1g2 → f6e5 → g2f1 → e5d4 → f1e2 → d4e4 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 09oCO: a3a4 → b5a4 → b3a4 → e5d5 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 05lpo: f5g4 → f3g4 → h5g4 → h3g4 → e6e5 → a2a3 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 0K5Xk: f4g5 → a5a4 → f6f7 → e6f7 → g5f5 → b4b3 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 1gDvj: h2h3 → h7h6 → c3d3 → c5b4 → g3g4 → b4a4 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 1Mlss: a6b5 → b2c2 → b4c5 → c2c3 → b5b4 → c3d3 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 1G3av: g2f1 → g6f5 → f1e1 → f5g4 → e1e2 → f7f6 → e2e3 → f6f5 → e3e2 → f5f4 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 21Ssq: b7b6 → a3a4 → c6c5 → d4c5 → b6c5 → a4a5 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
- Puzzle 1ud7a: a1a5 → e5a5 → a6a5 → f4g5 → a5b5 → g5h6 → b5c5 → h6h7 → c5d6 → h7g6 → d6e5 → g6h5 (the first move is the opponent’s setup move)
Source: Lichess open puzzle database · database.lichess.org · CC0