Deflection chess puzzles
20 deflection puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a deflection in chess?
Deflection forces a defending piece away from the square or piece it guards, often with a sacrifice or a check. Once the defender has left, the target falls.
How to spot a deflection
Find the enemy piece that does an important job (guarding the back rank, a square or another piece). Then look for a move that attacks it or offers it something it must take.
Learn it first: Deflection: pulling a defender away · Removing the guard
Deflection chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 26... Nf5.
Puzzle rating 787
Hint
Theme: discovered attack, deflection, kingside attack
Show solution
27. Nf6+ Rxf6 28. Rxe8+
FEN: 2b1rrk1/p6p/1pn3p1/2p2n2/2PpN3/PP5N/3P1PKP/1BR1R3 w - - 1 27
Puzzle 2: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 43... Bb1.
Puzzle rating 935
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, deflection, endgame tactic
Show solution
44. g5+ Kh5 45. Rxh7#
FEN: 8/2R4p/1p4pk/pP2P3/5KP1/r6P/8/1b6 w - - 1 44
Puzzle 3: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 37. Bf3.
Puzzle rating 996
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, epaulette mate, deflection
Show solution
37... Rg1+ 38. Kh3 Qxf3#
FEN: 5k2/nq5p/6p1/1P2Pp2/3p3R/3QbB2/1R4KP/2r5 b - - 1 37
Puzzle 4: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 72... g5.
Puzzle rating 1184
Hint
Theme: pin, deflection, promotion
Show solution
73. Re6 Rxe6 74. f8=Q+
FEN: 8/4RP2/5r1k/6pp/8/6K1/8/8 w - - 0 73
Puzzle 5: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 23. fxe7.
Puzzle rating 1264
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, deflection, middlegame tactic
Show solution
23... Qxh3+ 24. Kxg1 Qxg3#
FEN: 2k2rbr/1ppqP3/p2p2p1/3Pp3/2P1P3/2N3BP/PP4K1/R2Q1Rb1 b - - 0 23
Puzzle 6: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 26... h6.
Puzzle rating 1310
Hint
Theme: deflection, kingside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
27. Qd8+ Qf8 28. Bh7+ Kxh7 29. Qxf8
FEN: r1b3k1/1p3pp1/4p2p/pP4Q1/rq6/3B2P1/5PP1/2R1R1K1 w - - 0 27
Puzzle 7: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 26. b3.
Puzzle rating 1453
Hint
Theme: deflection, queenside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
26... Qa1+ 27. Qb1 Qxc3+
FEN: 1k1r3r/pp6/4pNpP/3p4/2n5/1PP1P3/q1Q2P2/2KR3R b - - 0 26
Puzzle 8: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 9. Qf3.
Puzzle rating 1485
Hint
Theme: deflection, attacking f2/f7, opening tactic
Show solution
9... Qc1+ 10. Qd1 Bxf2+ 11. Kxf2 Qxd1
FEN: r1b1k1nB/p1pp1p1p/1p6/2b5/4Pq2/5Q2/PPP2PPP/RN2KB1R b KQq - 2 9
Puzzle 9: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 40... Kg6.
Puzzle rating 1658
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, deflection, queen endgame
Show solution
41. Qe6+ Kh5 42. Qxf5+ g5 43. Qxg5#
FEN: 8/6pp/6k1/1p1Q1p2/p3p2P/P1P1PpP1/1P2q3/1K6 w - - 9 41
Puzzle 10: Black to move and mate in 5
Black to move and mate in 5. The opponent just played 24. Qa6.
Puzzle rating 1700
Hint
Theme: fork, deflection, clearance
Show solution
24... Nd3+ 25. Rxd3 Qb2+ 26. Kd1 Qb1+ 27. Ke2 Qxc2+ 28. Rd2 Qxd2#
FEN: 1N4k1/p7/Q5pp/3P4/1q2p1P1/2b1P2P/PnP5/2KR1R2 b - - 1 24
Puzzle 11: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 36... Nbd5.
Puzzle rating 1825
Hint
Theme: skewer, deflection, sacrifice
Show solution
37. Ne5+ Bxe5 38. Qxh6+ Kf7 39. Qxc6
FEN: 8/6b1/2q3kp/3n1p2/1pNp2pP/1PnP2P1/3QNP1K/2B5 w - - 6 37
Puzzle 12: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 37... a2.
Puzzle rating 1862
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, deflection, endgame tactic
Show solution
38. Nf8+ Kh5 39. Rxh7#
FEN: 8/3R3p/p1n1N1k1/5pB1/5P2/2q2PK1/p7/8 w - - 0 38
Puzzle 13: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 28... Bd5.
Puzzle rating 2000
Hint
Theme: deflection, attraction (decoy), interference
Show solution
29. Rxf7 Rxf7 30. Qg8+ Kd7 31. Rxf7+ Kc6 32. Qxa8+
FEN: r3kr2/p4p2/1p2pR2/3bP1Q1/3Pq3/2P5/P5PP/5RK1 w q - 1 29
Puzzle 14: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 34... g5.
Puzzle rating 2033
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Opera mate, deflection
Show solution
35. Ng8+ Rxg8 36. Rxh7#
FEN: 7r/p2R3p/5N1k/6p1/2P3PP/1n1B4/3r4/7K w - - 0 35
Puzzle 15: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 18. Rc1.
Puzzle rating 2132
Hint
Theme: pin, deflection, capturing the defender
Show solution
18... Qxe2 19. Qxe2 Rxc1+ 20. Bf1 Bh3
FEN: 6k1/ppr2pp1/4pb1p/1q1p1b2/3P4/4P1P1/PP1QNPBP/2R3K1 b - - 1 18
Puzzle 16: White to move and mate in 5
White to move and mate in 5. The opponent just played 33... Bxg1.
Puzzle rating 2197
Hint
Theme: deflection, endgame tactic
Show solution
34. Qh7+ Kf8 35. Qh8+ Ke7 36. Qf6+ Kd7 37. Qxf7+ Kd8 38. Rh8#
FEN: 2q3k1/p4p2/2p5/P3P2R/4QP2/5P1p/1r1r3P/6bK w - - 0 34
Puzzle 17: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 27. Nxf4.
Puzzle rating 2329
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, discovered check, double check
Show solution
27... f1=N+ 28. Kh1 Nxg3#
FEN: 5rk1/bpp2pp1/p1n4p/8/PP3N2/1QP3NP/3Rrp1K/3R4 b - - 0 27
Puzzle 18: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 42... Kd7.
Puzzle rating 2396
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, deflection, endgame tactic
Show solution
43. Qe6+ Kc7 44. Qxe7+ Kb6 45. c5+ Rxc5 46. Qxb7#
FEN: 2r3Q1/1p1kp2R/8/p2P4/P1P1p3/1P3r2/7K/5q2 w - - 11 43
Puzzle 19: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 48... h4.
Puzzle rating 2435
Hint
Theme: deflection, quiet move, advanced pawn
Show solution
49. d7 Ke7 50. Kc7 Rd8 51. Rd1 h3 52. Rd5 h2 53. Re5+ Kf6 54. Kxd8
FEN: 7r/8/p1KPk3/P4p2/4pP1p/8/8/7R w - - 0 49
Puzzle 20: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 28... d3.
Puzzle rating 2573
Hint
Theme: fork, deflection, intermezzo (zwischenzug)
Show solution
29. Qe4 Qxe4 30. Rxd8+ Ka7 31. Nxe4
FEN: 1k1rR2b/1pp5/p5Qp/P1Nq2p1/1P6/3p4/5PPP/6K1 w - - 0 29