600 Chess Puzzles: From Beginner to Master (Part1)
Hello everyone! Welcome to Part 1 of “600 Chess Puzzles: From Beginner to Master.” In this section, you’ll find 30 puzzles and their solutions — designed to help you improve your tactical vision and decision-making. Let’s see how many you can solve before checking the answers.
Introduction
I have played a lot of tournaments around the world, and sometimes people ask me, “How can I improve my game?” or “How did you become a grandmaster?”. I think the answer to this question is quite simple – you need to learn! After all, no one asks “How did you graduate from university?”
Chess is quite a difficult game and it takes years of training to learn how to play well. Then there is the question “How should one train?”. For this there are many ways – solving exercises, studying openings and endgames, analysing your own games, etc. But perhaps the easiest, quickest and most effective way to improve your overall game is to increase your tactical vision. Many good positions are lost because a key moment is passed by and a player misses the opportunity to win by a beautiful combination. This blog is designed simply to help you improve your play by seeing tactics better.
Here are some examples of games from my youth where seeing tactics – or not seeing them – made all the difference. We start with a position where I overlooked a tactic by the opponent:
Orujov – Kravtsiv
European Under-12 Ch, Peñiscola 2002
Here I incautiously captured the knight with my queen, which led to a well-deserved defeat: 24...Qxf6? (after 24...Rxf6 Black is no worse) 25 Bc4! (if Black now saves his rook, he will lose the bishop on c6) 25...h6 (25...R6e7 26 Rd6 +–) 26 Bxe6 Rxe6 27 e4 +– and White won with his extra exchange.
In the next, I won with a nice tactic:
Kravtsiv – Zhdyniak
Ukrainian Under-14 Ch semi-final, Lvov 1999
At first glance, Black can be satisfied with his chances – in a position with both kings exposed, a queen is generally no weaker than two rooks. But White can win on the spot with a tactical blow: 36 Rg8+! Kxg8 (36...Kh6 37 g5+ Kh5 38 Nf6+ +–) 37 Ne7+ Kg7 38 Nxc6 + and Black resigned a few moves later.
And here’s an example of a bad combination.
O.Kovalenko – Kravtsiv
Ukrainian Under-12 Ch, Kramatorsk 2002
12 Nxd5? Bxd5 13 Qh5
White saw that he could threaten both mate and the bishop, but failed to spot Black’s reply, which solves both problems and so leaves Black a piece to the good. Your opponent’s options should be considered carefully!
13...Rfd8! 14 Qxh7+ Kf8 15 c3 Bd6
and White soon resigned.
We all know that the price of error in chess is very high. But while a good positional move or a well-played opening tend to give you a small advantage, the reward for a tactical blow is of a different magnitude, such as mate, winning material or saving a bad position.
This blog is aimed at chess-players of a wide variety of levels, from near-beginner to those close to master level. It contains 600 exercises mostly from recent games, arranged in order from the simplest to the most difficult. If some exercises seem too difficult for you, then don’t give up: come back to them after a while, after the level of your play has improved. Only look at the answer once you have made an honest effort to solve the problem and have decided what you would play.
I classified all the exercises into five levels of difficulty, from level 1 (easiest) to level 5 (hardest). Within each chapter, the easiest puzzles appear at the start, and the hardest at the end. Generally speaking, the earlier chapters feature easier puzzles than the later ones, though at the start of each chapter you are told roughly what to expect. Part 1 of the blog contains exercises with some kind of hint or question below the diagram, whereas in Part 2 you are completely on your own: your task is just to decide what you would play.
I deliberately selected most of the exercises from games of little known players to make sure that the positions will not be familiar to you. There are some games from grandmaster play included in the blog, but many of these are taken from the analysis, and the exact positions did not arise on the board.
I have also included an index of themes. This is mostly for the benefit of coaches. I don’t recommend looking at it before solving the exercises, as it would provide a pretty serious hint for the solutions, and so reduce the training value of the exercises.
I believe these 600 exercises will be very useful for all who solve them, especially for talented and ambitious students. All you need is inspiration and time to improve your game. Good luck!
Basic Tactical Ideas
Fork
Double attacks and forks are the most common chess tactics. A fork with check is particularly strong, since the opponent has no choice but to save his king, leaving the other piece (the black queen in this case) to its fate. A fork made by a pawn is usually also very powerful, since it generally doesn’t matter if the pawn itself is lost if it is gaining a piece.
Pin
Here the white bishop has pinned the black knight against its king. As a result, the knight cannot take the white rook on c7. In addition, the knight itself requires protection.
Skewer
The white rook threatens two knights along the same line, and they cannot both escape at once. If the one on e2 moves away, the other is lost.
Discovered Attack
A discovered attack occurs when one piece moves off a line, opening up an attack from another piece onto an enemy unit. Here White plays 9 Bb5+!, giving check to the black king and opening an attack from the white queen on its black counterpart.
Discovered Attack / Trapped Piece
By advancing his pawn with 1 d5!, White attacks the h8-rook with his bishop. Even though this isn’t a double attack, it still wins a piece because the rook is trapped – it has no flight-squares.
Destroying the Guard
The knight on d6 protects the f5-bishop. By simply exchanging our bishop for this knight, we leave the black bishop defenceless: 1 Bxd6! cxd6 2 Nxf5 wins a piece.
Deflection
This theme involves drawing a defensive piece away from a key role to make a tactic work. In this position, we distract the black queen from protecting the f8-square, where we then give mate: 1 c7! Qxc7 2 Qf8+ Rxf8 3 Rxf8#.
Decoy / Square-Blocking
A decoy involves dragging an enemy piece onto a square where it harms the defence. If most of a king’s flight-squares are blocked, then even a lowly pawn can deliver mate. Here a rook sacrifice locks the king in on a8 so the knight can give checkmate: 1 Ra7+! Bxa7 2 Nc7#.
Square-Vacation
If the white rook were to vanish from h7, White could give mate in one. Therefore, White needs to find a way to give up the rook to make way for the queen: 1 Rh8+! Kxh8 2 Qh7#.
Interference / Line-Opening
If White simply moved his bishop, Black would have time to defend against the threat of mate on f8. But White can move his bishop so that it blocks the d8-rook: 1 Be8! Bc5 (or 1...Rxe8 2 Qxf8+!) 2 Qf8+! Bxf8 3 Rxf8#.
Stalemate
When there are few pieces left on the board, you need to keep an eye out for stalemates. Here Black can draw by giving away his queen: 1...Qxg6+! and after either capture it is stalemate.
Trapped Piece
The black knight on c6 has no safe flight-squares, so all White needs to do to win a piece is attack this knight with a pawn: 22 d5!.
Zugzwang
After 1 Rxe5! Rxe5 2 g3! any legal move by Black worsens his position, so he loses.
Mutual (or Reciprocal) Zugzwang
Here we have a position of mutual zugzwang, where whoever is to move must weaken his position. If it is White to play, he must either give stalemate or lose his pawn, while if Black is to play he must move his king aside and let the pawn queen.
Part 1: With Hints, Questions and Tasks
Our first seven chapters feature graded or themed exercises, all with some text under the diagram to guide you as to what to look for. Sometimes you will be asked a question or invited to choose between two moves. Even an indication that you should be looking for a way to win is a very significant hint, and one you wouldn’t get at the board.
1: Warming Up
Our first selection of puzzles (71 in total) _ (30 Part 1) features positions of levels 1 and 2 in difficulty. Remember that even though all the level 2 puzzles come after the level 1 puzzles, difficulty is a subjective matter, and there is some randomness in the ordering in any case. So don’t give up if you get stuck on a particular position – you might solve the next one at a glance!
Puzzle 1: Black to play
White has just played 36 h5??. How did the game end?
Solution 1: Black to play
Bhasima – Mohota
Mumbai 2018/19
Thanks to the black pawn on c5, the white king has no flight-squares after 36...Qc1# (0-1).
Puzzle 2: Black to play
White has just taken a rook on c8. How should Black respond?
Solution 2: Black to play
Vantika – Akash
Mumbai 2018/19
25...Qxb1+! (otherwise Black remains a rook down, as the double attack with 25...Qxd4? is easily brushed aside with the simple 26 Qc7, while White can also play for mate by 26 Rb8!? Qxa1+ 27 Bf1) 26 Rxb1 Rxc8 with a roughly equal position.
Puzzle 3: Black to play
What should Black take: the rook or the queen?
Solution 3: Black to play
Hillarp Persson – Karthikeyan
Stockholm 2018/19
35...Bxe1! (not 35...Rxd5? 36 Re8+, mating) 36 Qxc5 Bxa5 with a roughly equal position.
Puzzle 4: Black to play
White has just pushed his pawn to a5 without noticing Black’s threat. What is it?
Solution 4: Black to play
Åkesson – M.Friedland (variation)
Stockholm 2018/19
However good your position is, you always need to be careful about any threat to your king, as it could cost you the game on the spot. After 34...Bh3! –+ (not 34...Bc8? 35 Rdd7 =) White has no way to avoid mate.
Puzzle 5: White to play
How can White exploit the exposed black king on d6?
Solution 5: White to play
Åkesson – M.Friedland (based on)
Stockholm 2018/19
After 1 Ra6+! Black’s bishop is lost. For example, 1...Rc6 2 Rxc6+ Kxc6 3 Rxe6+ +–.
Puzzle 6: Black to play
Black has sacrificed a piece. What did he have in mind here?
Solution 6: Black to play
K.Chan – Krishna Teja (variation)
Stockholm 2018/19
White’s back rank is too weak: 30...Qe1+! 31 Rxe1 Rxe1+ 32 Nf1 Rfxf1#.
Puzzle 7: Black to play
Can Black exploit the pin?
Solution 7: Black to play
Lu Miaoyi – D.Stones (variation)
Tianjin 2018/19
To do so, Black must unleash the power of the bishop on g4, and the knight has only one safe square to move to: 34...Nh2 –+ and White can resign. Instead 34...Rxa2? 35 Nd3 leads to a roughly equal position.
Puzzle 8: White to play
Find a way to break Black’s defences.
Solution 8: White to play
K.Holm – P.Roy (variation)
Stockholm 2018/19
The queen on f5 holds together Black’s position, but it can be driven away. After 29 g4! +– Black’s game is hopeless. After 29...Qf3? 30 Qe6+ +– Black loses his rook and is mated, but even 29...Qc2 30 Qxd5+ gives White a huge advantage, and he should win with good play.
Puzzle 9: White to play
What is the best way for White to win a pawn?
Solution 9: White to play
Slugin – L.Carlsson
Stockholm 2018/19
By attacking the rook on a8, White forces it to abandon the a7-pawn. After 24 Nc7! Rab8 (as played in the game) White’s best option is 25 Bxa7 +–, with a decisive advantage. Black can fight on with 25...Qb4 or 25...Bh6, but there is no real hope.
Puzzle 10: White to play
The black queen has nowhere to run. Can you see a way to trap it?
Solution 10: White to play
I.Damianou – Cherepov
Stockholm 2018/19
Only 22 Be2! is good; other moves leave White worse. After 22...Rxa3 23 Bxc4 Rxc3 24 Qe2 White has a large advantage.
Puzzle 11: Black to play
One strong move was all it took to make White resign. What was it?
Solution 11: Black to play
Nesterov – Heberla
Stockholm 2018/19
After 38...Rf3! White resigned as the only way to prevent mate on d3 is 39 Rd1, which drops the knight: 39...Rxg3 –+.
Puzzle 12: White to play
Despite being a pawn down, White found a way to win. What was it?
Solution 12: White to play
Priyanka – Erenberg
Stockholm 2018/19
37 Ne5! Qa7 (Black can avoid being mated by 37...Qe7 38 Qc8 Bf8, but it is hopeless as it costs him a piece) 38 Qc8 Bg7 39 Qg8+ 1-0. Black resigned as his queen will be lost.
Puzzle 13: Black to play
Black is two pawns down, so something dramatic is required.
Solution 13: Black to play
Jiang Qinyu – Guan Runpei (variation)
Tianjin 2018/19
Black can’t take on d4 immediately, but he can open the way for his queen by 23...Nf3+! 24 Bxf3 Qxd4 25 Qxf7 (no better is 25 Qxd4 Rxd4) 25...Qxb2 with a roughly equal position.
Puzzle 14: Black to play
The knight on g3 is protected only by the white queen. How can Black exploit that?
Solution 14: Black to play
A.Dimitrova – Gorshtein
Stockholm 2018/19
34...Rxh6! 35 Qg4 (35 Qxh6 Qxg3+ 36 Kh1 Qh2#) 35...Rh7 and White’s position is completely hopeless as both knights are lost.
Puzzle 15: White to play
Black has just taken a rook on b5. How should White respond?
Solution 15: White to play
Zou Chen – Pantzar (variation)
Stockholm 2018/19
39 Ra8+ Kh7 40 Bxh5! +– with mate in a few moves. 40...Rb1+ doesn’t help in view of 41 Bd1#.
Puzzle 16: White to play
How should White exploit the pin?
Solution 16: White to play
Training position
He must attack the rook right away before Black moves his king from g7: 1 Re7! (there are multiple pins at work in fact, as 1 Rd5? f6 = offers White nothing since he has abandoned the pin on the f7-pawn, and White himself can’t play f4 yet because this pawn is also pinned) 1...Kf6 2 Rxe5 Rxe5 3 f4 +– and White will be a piece up.
Puzzle 17: Black to play
How can Black get a decisive advantage?
Solution 17: Black to play
Nettleton – V.Petrov
Hastings 2018/19
By powerfully activating the h7-knight. He must first eliminate White’s knight on e4: 31...Bxe4! 32 Qxe4 Ng5 –+ and the black rook will invade on h3 with decisive effect. In the game Black soon won after 33 Qf5 Rxh3+ 34 Kg2 Re8.
Puzzle 18: Black to play
A strong move gives Black a decisive plus. Can you find it?
Solution 18: Black to play
Arya – Konguvel
Mumbai 2018/19
After 25...Bxg2! 26 Qxg2 (or 26 Ra1 {as played in the game} 26...Bf3 –+) 26...Qxg2+ 27 Kxg2 Rxd4 –+ White is a pawn down and will soon lose another one.
Puzzle 19: White to play
How should White continue his attack?
Solution 19: White to play
Harutjunyan – Kravtsiv (variation)
Visakhapatnam 2012
A deflection of the black king wins the queen: 40 Re8+! Kxe8 41 Qxg7 with a decisive advantage.
Puzzle 20: White to play
Can White avoid losing one of his bishops?
Solution 20: White to play
Harutjunyan – Kravtsiv
Visakhapatnam 2012
17 e5! does the trick. Black must either exchange his knight or remove his queen from the f-file: 17...Nxe5 (slightly better is 17...Qg7!? 18 Bd2 Nxe5 19 Qe2 =+) 18 Rxe5 (18 Bxe5 =) 18...Rxe5 19 Bxe5 with a roughly equal position.
Puzzle 21: Black to play
Where should Black put his knight?
Solution 21: Black to play
Mohammad Fahad – Gajek
Mumbai 2018/19
Black wins the white bishop: 24...Nd3! (24...Nc6? 25 Re3 =) 25 Re3 Nc1+ 0-1.
Puzzle 22: White to play
White is a pawn down, but has a great position. Find his best continuation.
Solution 22: White to play
Piasetski – Polavaram (based on)
Burlingame 2019
38 Rd5! (the mate threat is decisive as it forces Black to give up an exchange) 38...Rcxc5 (38...Rbxc5 39 Rxc5 Rxc5 40 bxc5 +–; 38...Kg7 39 Bd4+ +–) 39 Rxc5 Rxb4 40 Rxe8 c2 41 Re1 +–.
Puzzle 23: White to play
White is a piece down. How does he correct that?
Solution 23: White to play
Eames – Comellas (variation)
Hastings 2018/19
After 29 Qh6+! Kf7 30 Qxc6 +/– White has won back the knight and has good winning chances.
Puzzle 24: White to play
Can White take the bishop on h3?
Solution 24: White to play
Lavendelis – Kravtsiv
Al Ain tt 2012
Taking the bishop leads to mate or loss of the queen: 21 gxh3? Re2 (or 21...Qg6+ 22 Kh1 Re2 –+) 22 Qd1 Qg6+ 23 Kh1 Qg2#. So White was right to prefer 21 Re1! Rxe1+ 22 Qxe1 with a roughly equal position.
Puzzle 25: White to play
How can White fix the main problem with his position?
Solution 25: White to play
Eames – Comellas (variation)
Hastings 2018/19
With 20 Bxg6! White regains his missing pawn and also weakens the black king’s defences. After 20...Ra7 (20...hxg6? 21 Qxg6+ Kh8 22 Ng4+ +–) 21 Be4 the game is unclear.
Puzzle 26: Black to play
Where should the black king go?
Solution 26: Black to play
Ratnesan – Sumit (variation)
Hastings 2018/19
33...Kg8! (33...Kh8? 34 Rxg6 +–; 33...Kh6? 34 Bd2+ Kh5 35 Rh7+ +–) 34 Rxg6+ (34 Rxd7? Rc1+ 35 Be1 Rxe1+ 36 Rg1 Rexg1#) 34...Kxf7 and Black is no worse.
Puzzle 27: Black to play
The fact that White’s pawn has left g2 creates a fatal weakness. How does Black exploit it?
Solution 27: Black to play
A.Katz – Banik (variation)
Burlingame 2019
Black can win the knight using a fork: 27...Qxd4! (not 27...e5? 28 Nb5 Nxf3+ 29 Kf2 =+, when Black’s advantage is small) 28 Qxd4 Nxf3+ 29 Kf2 Nxd4 –+.
Puzzle 28: White to play
Which way should White take on e5?
Solution 28: White to play
Gagare – Kravtsiv (variation)
Nagpur 2012
22 Nxe5! (Black is OK after 22 Bxe5? Qc6) 22...Bb5 23 Ng6 +– with an easy win.
Puzzle 29: Black to play
Black is two pawns down. What should he do?
Solution 29: Black to play
T.Ravi – P.Patil
Mumbai 2018/19
33...Rg4+! (Black wins the white knight even if it means the rook ends up in a tight spot; he needs to do something dramatic since after 33...Nxe5? 34 Nxh7 +– Black is still two pawns down and has no chance of saving the game) 34 Kh3 Rxg5 35 f4 (weaker is 35 Kxh4?! Rg2 =+, while 35 Nf3 Rxh5 gave Black no problems in the game) 35...Rxh5 36 Ra8+ Ke7 37 Ra7. Thanks to his powerful pawns, White is still slightly better, but the game should be drawn.
Puzzle 30: White to play
White won the game in a few moves. How?
Solution 30: White to play
Ternault – S.Wagner
Stockholm 2018/19
32 Nxe6! Qxe6 (32...Nc3 loses to 33 Nf4 +–, while after 32...Nxe3?! 33 fxe3 Qxe6 34 Bxf5 Qxe3+ 35 Kh1 +–, as played in the game, it is time for Black to resign) 33 Bxf5 Qg8 34 Bxc8 +–. Either recapture on c8 leaves the d5-knight inadequately defended, so White makes a decisive material gain.
Thanks for reading! Fell free to ask any questions, share your friends, and stay tuned for part 2 coming soon!
