The Secret of the making of Chess.com Puzzles
The Secret Life of Chess.com Puzzles
Every day, millions of players log into Chess.com and tackle the daily puzzles—some brilliant, some brutal, and some just plain bizarre. But have you ever wondered: Where do these puzzles come from? Let’s explore the fascinating process behind the scenes.
🎯 What Makes a Chess.com Puzzle Special?
Chess.com puzzles aren’t just random positions—they’re carefully selected tactical moments pulled from real games played on the site.
- They feature clear, forced solutions with minimal ambiguity.
- Each puzzle is tagged with tactical themes like forks, pins, skewers, sacrifices, and more.
- Difficulty is scaled to match your puzzle rating, so you’re always challenged just enough.
🧩 Types of Puzzles You’ll Encounter
- Daily Puzzle: A handpicked gem, often from a famous game or a surprising tactic.
- Puzzle Rush: Fast-paced puzzles that test your speed and accuracy.
- Custom Puzzles: Created by users or staff, often with unique setups or themes.
- Rated Puzzles: Tailored to your skill level, with ratings that adjust as you solve
🔍 How Chess.com Puzzles Are Made
Here’s the official process, straight from Chess.com’s engineering team:
1. Real Games, Real Tactics
Chess.com’s algorithm scans millions of games played on the site. It looks for positions where a player made a blunder, and the opponent had a clear tactical response.
“Our database of puzzles has always been largely derived from real games... by far the largest contributor is live gameplay by members on Chess.com.” — Chess.com Blog
2. Tactical Detection
Once a blunder is found, the system checks if there’s a single best move that leads to a clear advantage or checkmate.
- The engine analyzes evaluation swings to detect tactical opportunities.
- It tags the puzzle with themes like discovered attack, back-rank mate, or zugzwang.
3. Quality Control & Rating
Each puzzle is tested for clarity and uniqueness.
- Puzzles with multiple valid solutions are rejected.
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- Ratings are assigned using
- , ensuring fair difficulty scaling.
4. Community Feedback
If a puzzle gets enough downvotes or reports, it’s reviewed by titled players and puzzle experts.
- Flawed puzzles are delisted and removed from circulation.
- New puzzles are added daily—about 900 per day, according to Chess.com engineers.
📋 Summary: How Chess.com Puzzles Are Made
Chess.com puzzles are generated from real games played on the site. Their algorithm scans for blunders and tactical opportunities, then selects positions with clear, forced solutions. Each puzzle is tagged with tactical themes, rated for difficulty, and reviewed for quality. Around 900 new puzzles are added daily, and flawed ones are removed based on community feedback.
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