Attacking f2/f7 chess puzzles
20 attacking f2/f7 puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a attacking f2/f7 in chess?
The f2 and f7 squares are guarded only by the king at the start of the game, which makes them the most common early target.
How to spot a attacking f2/f7
In the opening, look for a bishop on c4 or c5 and a knight or queen that can join it against f7 or f2, especially before the opponent has castled.
Learn it first: Scholar’s mate and how to stop it · Attacking f7/f2 and the uncastled king
Attacking f2/f7 chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 17. hxg7.
Puzzle rating 595
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, attacking f2/f7, middlegame tactic
Show solution
17... Qxf2#
FEN: 2r2rk1/pb3pPp/1p2pq2/3p4/3Nn3/2P1P3/PPB2PP1/R2QK2R b KQ - 0 17
Puzzle 2: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 8... Nxc3.
Puzzle rating 717
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, attacking f2/f7, middlegame tactic
Show solution
9. Qxf7#
FEN: rn1qkb1r/4pppp/p1p5/1p2Nb2/3P4/1Qn3P1/PP2PP1P/R1B1KB1R w KQkq - 0 9
Puzzle 3: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 14. Bxg7.
Puzzle rating 856
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, attacking f2/f7, middlegame tactic
Show solution
14... Qxf2#
FEN: r4rk1/pp2ppBp/1qnp2p1/8/2P1P1n1/1P3N2/P1B2PPP/R2QK2R b KQ - 0 14
Puzzle 4: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 9. Qg3.
Puzzle rating 939
Hint
Theme: pin, attacking f2/f7, opening tactic
Show solution
9... Bh4 10. Qf2 Bxf2+
FEN: rn1qk1nr/1p2bpp1/p1ppp2p/8/2PPPP2/2N3QP/PP4P1/R1B1KB1R b KQkq - 3 9
Puzzle 5: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 7... Nxc3.
Puzzle rating 976
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, attacking f2/f7, advanced pawn
Show solution
8. exf7#
FEN: r1bqkb1r/pp1ppp1p/2n1P1p1/8/2B5/2n5/PPP2PPP/RNB1K1NR w KQkq - 0 8
Puzzle 6: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 13. Qd1.
Puzzle rating 1112
Hint
Theme: deflection, attacking f2/f7, opening tactic
Show solution
13... Bxf2+ 14. Kxf2 Qxd1
FEN: r1b1k1nB/p2p1p1p/1bp1p3/8/4P3/1PP3P1/P4P1P/RNqQKB1R b KQq - 2 13
Puzzle 7: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 9. Rh3.
Puzzle rating 1230
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, attacking f2/f7, advanced pawn
Show solution
9... exf2#
FEN: rn2kbnr/1pp2ppp/1q6/8/PP5P/3pp2R/2PPPPP1/R1BQKBN1 b Qkq - 2 9
Puzzle 8: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 10... dxe4.
Puzzle rating 1282
Hint
Theme: deflection, attacking f2/f7, opening tactic
Show solution
11. Bxf7+ Kxf7 12. Qxd8
FEN: r1bqkb1r/p3nppp/2p5/4p3/2B1p3/2P5/PP3PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 11
Puzzle 9: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 9. Nd2.
Puzzle rating 1451
Hint
Theme: fork, attraction (decoy), sacrifice
Show solution
9... hxg3 10. Rxh8 gxf2+ 11. Kxf2 Qf6+ 12. Kg1 Qxh8
FEN: rnb1k1nr/pp1ppp2/2p5/6q1/3P3p/2P3B1/PP1NPPP1/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 1 9
Puzzle 10: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 9... Bxd1.
Puzzle rating 1517
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, attacking f2/f7, middlegame tactic
Show solution
10. Bxf7+ Ke7 11. Nd5#
FEN: r2qkbnr/pp3pp1/3p3p/2p1N3/4Pp1P/1BNP4/PPP3P1/R1BbK2R w KQkq - 0 10
Puzzle 11: White to move and mate in 4
Puzzle 12: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 11... b5.
Puzzle rating 1676
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, discovered attack, sacrifice
Show solution
12. Nf6+ gxf6 13. Bxf7#
FEN: r1bqkb1r/2ppnppp/p5n1/1p1NP3/2BP4/1Q6/PPP2PPP/R1B1K2R w KQkq - 0 12
Puzzle 13: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 7... Be7.
Puzzle rating 1893
Hint
Theme: attacking f2/f7, opening tactic
Show solution
8. Nxf7 Qa5+ 9. Bd2
FEN: r1bqk2r/pp1nbppp/2p1pn2/6N1/2BP4/8/PPP1QPPP/R1B1K1NR w KQkq - 6 8
Puzzle 14: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 13... Qg6.
Puzzle rating 1988
Hint
Theme: attacking f2/f7, opening tactic
Show solution
14. Nxf7 Nf5 15. Nxh8
FEN: 1r2kb1r/1b1pnppp/2n1p1q1/1BP3N1/P7/8/1PP3PP/R1BQ1RK1 w k - 3 14
Puzzle 15: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 7. Bg2.
Puzzle rating 2018
Hint
Theme: attraction (decoy), sacrifice, attacking f2/f7
Show solution
7... Bxf2+ 8. Kxf2 Ng4+ 9. Kg1 Ne3 10. Qe1 Nxc2
FEN: rnbq1rk1/ppp2ppp/5n2/2b5/8/5NP1/PPPNPPBP/R1BQK2R b KQ - 2 7
Puzzle 16: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 33... d3.
Puzzle rating 2181
Hint
Theme: attacking f2/f7, middlegame tactic
Show solution
34. Nxf7 d2 35. Nxd8
FEN: 3qkr2/pp3p2/4pP2/1br1N3/6pQ/3p2B1/PP4PP/4R2K w - - 0 34
Puzzle 17: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 16. h7.
Puzzle rating 2195
Hint
Theme: clearance, attacking f2/f7, middlegame tactic
Show solution
16... Bh4+ 17. Nf2 Bxf2+ 18. Kf1 Qh4 19. h8=R+ Qxh8
FEN: r2qk3/ppp1br1P/6Q1/5n2/8/2P2P1N/PP2P2P/RN2K2R b KQq - 0 16
Puzzle 18: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 17... Rc8.
Puzzle rating 2303
Hint
Show solution
18. Ng5 Be7 19. Rxf7 Bxg5 20. Rxc7 Bxe3+ 21. Kh1
FEN: 2r1kb1r/2q2ppp/p1p1p3/3pP3/3P4/4PN2/P1Q3PP/2R2RK1 w k - 2 18
Puzzle 19: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 18... Qa5.
Puzzle rating 2414
Hint
Theme: attraction (decoy), sacrifice, attacking f2/f7
Show solution
19. Nxf7 Kxf7 20. Nd6+ Kg8 21. Nxc8
FEN: 2r1kb1r/1p2npp1/p3p3/q4nN1/3pN1QP/3B4/PP3PP1/4RK1R w k - 2 19
Puzzle 20: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 17... Re7.
Puzzle rating 2552
Hint
Theme: deflection, attacking f2/f7, middlegame tactic
Show solution
18. Qxh5 Bxe5 19. Nxf7 Rxf7 20. Rxe5+
FEN: r1b1k3/1p2rpp1/p1qb4/2ppP1Np/8/3P3P/PP2QPP1/R3R1K1 w q - 4 18