Capturing the defender chess puzzles
20 capturing the defender puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a capturing the defender in chess?
Capturing the defender, also called removing the guard, takes the piece that protects a target, so the target is left hanging, even if the capture costs material.
How to spot a capturing the defender
When an enemy piece or square is protected only once, look at the protector. If you can capture it, the target falls next move.
Learn it first: Deflection: pulling a defender away · Removing the guard
Capturing the defender chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 27. Bxd5.
Puzzle rating 699
Hint
Show solution
27... Bxd6 28. exd6 Bxd5
FEN: r4b1r/1p6/pkbRP2p/3BP3/5p2/1P3N2/P4PPP/2R3K1 b - - 0 27
Puzzle 2: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 21. Qc2.
Puzzle rating 1121
Hint
Show solution
21... Qxc2 22. Nxc2 Bxc3
FEN: 5rk1/p4ppp/b3pb2/3p4/3N4/2P1P3/PqQ2PPP/R3R1K1 b - - 1 21
Puzzle 3: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 24. Bxd4.
Puzzle rating 1154
Show solution
24... Bxf3 25. Qxf3 Qxd4
FEN: 4r1k1/pb3pp1/1p1q1n1p/8/1P1B4/P2P1N1P/5PP1/R2Q2K1 b - - 0 24
Puzzle 4: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 15. Bg5.
Puzzle rating 1263
Hint
Theme: discovered attack, capturing the defender, middlegame tactic
Show solution
15... Nxe4 16. fxe4 Qxg5+
FEN: r2qrbk1/1pp2ppp/p1np1n2/6B1/2BPN3/5P2/PPP2QPP/2KR3R b - - 3 15
Puzzle 5: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 51. b7.
Puzzle rating 1362
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, capturing the defender, hanging piece
Show solution
51... Rxh3 52. b8=Q g1=Q#
FEN: 8/1P3k2/4p3/3pBpK1/3P1P2/7N/6p1/7r b - - 0 51
Puzzle 6: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 14... Rc8.
Puzzle rating 1414
Hint
Show solution
15. Nxf6+ gxf6 16. Qd7#
FEN: 2rnkb1r/pQ3ppp/5n2/2qNN2b/2P1P3/3B3P/P2P1PP1/R3K2R w KQk - 2 15
Puzzle 7: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 9. cxd4.
Puzzle rating 1560
Hint
Theme: capturing the defender, opening tactic
Show solution
9... Bxa3 10. bxa3 Nxc4
FEN: r1bqkb1r/1p1p1ppp/pnn1p3/4P3/2BP4/N4N2/PP3PPP/R1BQ1RK1 b kq - 0 9
Puzzle 8: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 36. Ke4.
Puzzle rating 1654
Hint
Theme: capturing the defender, endgame tactic
Show solution
36... Raxb6 37. cxb6 Rxa4
FEN: 8/5p2/rNn1pk2/p1P3p1/Rr1PK1P1/4P3/5P2/7R b - - 4 36
Puzzle 9: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 17... Rd6.
Puzzle rating 1699
Hint
Theme: deflection, capturing the defender, middlegame tactic
Show solution
18. Rxc6 Rxc6 19. Bxd5+
FEN: r1b3k1/p1R4p/2pr2p1/3n4/2B5/8/PPP2PPP/R5K1 w - - 3 18
Puzzle 10: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 31... Bg7.
Puzzle rating 1777
Hint
Theme: fork, attraction (decoy), capturing the defender
Show solution
32. Rxd7 Rxd7 33. Qxe8+ Kh7 34. Qxd7
FEN: 4n1k1/1r1b2b1/4p1Qp/6p1/pq4P1/1P3P2/B1P5/1K1R3R w - - 2 32
Puzzle 11: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 18. gxf4.
Puzzle rating 1900
Hint
Theme: fork, deflection, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
18... Qxc3 19. Qxc3 Nxe2+ 20. Kd2 Nxc3
FEN: r1b2r2/1p2n1kp/6p1/q2pp3/3nPP2/pPNN1P2/P1PQB2P/2KR3R b - - 0 18
Puzzle 12: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 9... exd4.
Puzzle rating 1929
Show solution
10. Nxc5 Bxd3 11. Bxd4
FEN: r3k1nr/ppp2ppp/8/2b2b2/3pN3/3BB3/PPP2PPP/R3K2R w KQkq - 0 10
Puzzle 13: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 22... Qb7.
Puzzle rating 1966
Hint
Theme: discovered attack, capturing the defender, middlegame tactic
Show solution
23. Rxc8 Qxc8 24. Nxd5 cxd5 25. Qxb4
FEN: R1b1nrk1/1q4pp/2p1pp2/1p1n4/1b1P4/2N2NP1/1BP2PBP/4Q1K1 w - - 2 23
Puzzle 14: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 16. Rf2.
Puzzle rating 2062
Hint
Show solution
16... Rxf3 17. Rxf3 Bxe2 18. Qxe2 Nxd4
FEN: rn1q1r1k/p3b1pp/bpn1B3/3pP3/3P4/5NP1/PP2NR1P/R1BQ2K1 b - - 2 16
Puzzle 15: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 25... Qb6.
Puzzle rating 2096
Hint
Theme: fork, attraction (decoy), capturing the defender
Show solution
26. Qxb6 Rxb6 27. Rxb7 Rxb7 28. Bxd5+ Kf8 29. Bxb7
FEN: r5k1/pbR3pp/1q1r4/3pN3/3Q4/1P3BP1/5P1P/6K1 w - - 3 26
Puzzle 16: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 38. Qc3.
Puzzle rating 2191
Hint
Show solution
38... Ne3+ 39. Kf2 Nxd5 40. Qd4 Qxe6 41. Nf4 Nxf4
FEN: 6qk/1p5p/p2bN3/3Pr3/6n1/1PQ3P1/P3N1K1/4R3 b - - 3 38
Puzzle 17: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 14. Bxc6.
Puzzle rating 2286
Hint
Theme: interference, capturing the defender, middlegame tactic
Show solution
14... Bxc6 15. Nb3 Qxa4 16. Nxc5 Qxf4
FEN: r3k2r/1p1b1ppp/p1B1p3/q1bpPn2/P4B2/5N2/3N1PPP/2RQ1RK1 b kq - 0 14
Puzzle 18: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 11... O-O.
Puzzle rating 2373
Hint
Theme: capturing the defender, opening tactic
Show solution
12. Bxd7 Nxd7 13. Nxd7 Bxd7 14. Qxc5
FEN: r2q1rk1/1ppn1ppp/p3bn2/2b1N3/B4P2/8/PPQ3PP/RNB2R1K w - - 1 12
Puzzle 19: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 19... Nd7.
Puzzle rating 2435
Hint
Theme: pin, attraction (decoy), capturing the defender
Show solution
20. Rxf7 Rxf7 21. Rxf7 Kxf7 22. Qxh7+ Qg7 23. Bxg6+
FEN: r1bb1rk1/pp1n1p1p/2p2RpQ/6B1/3qB3/3P4/PPP3PP/5R1K w - - 8 20
Puzzle 20: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 21. Bc3.
Puzzle rating 2759
Hint
Show solution
21... Be3 22. Kf1 Bxf2 23. Raxd2 Qxg3 24. Rxd8+ Nc8
FEN: 1k1r3r/ppp1n3/3q1p1b/1P5p/Q1P4P/P1B2BP1/R2pPP2/3R2K1 b - - 5 21