Discovered attack chess puzzles
20 discovered attack puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a discovered attack in chess?
A discovered attack happens when you move one piece out of the way and uncover an attack by a piece behind it. The moving piece can make its own threat, so the opponent faces two at once.
How to spot a discovered attack
Look for your own piece standing between a bishop, rook or queen and a target. Ask where that front piece can go to create a second threat, ideally a check or a capture.
Learn it first: Checks, captures, threats (CCT) · Discovered attacks and double check
Discovered attack chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 17. f4.
Puzzle rating 690
Hint
Theme: discovered attack, queenside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
17... Be3+ 18. Kb1 Qxc4
FEN: 2q1k2r/3pnppp/1p2p3/2b1P3/2Q2P2/2N3P1/PPP4P/2KR3R b k - 0 17
Puzzle 2: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 42. Kf2.
Puzzle rating 835
Hint
Theme: discovered attack, endgame tactic
Show solution
42... Bxe3+ 43. Rxe3 Qxd6
FEN: 6k1/5p1p/3Q2p1/8/3b2P1/P3B3/4RKPP/3q4 b - - 8 42
Puzzle 3: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 12. a4.
Puzzle rating 965
Hint
Theme: discovered attack, discovered check, middlegame tactic
Show solution
12... c4+ 13. Kh1 cxd3
FEN: rn3rk1/p2b1pbp/1q1p1np1/2pP4/P3P3/2NB1P2/1P4PP/RNBQ1RK1 b - - 0 12
Puzzle 4: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 11. Bf4.
Puzzle rating 1069
Hint
Show solution
11... Nxf3+ 12. Bxf3 Qxf4
FEN: r1b1k2r/ppp2pp1/2pq4/2b1n2p/4PB2/3P1N1P/PPP1BPP1/R2Q1RK1 b kq - 8 11
Puzzle 5: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 39... Nb6.
Puzzle rating 1125
Hint
Theme: discovered attack, endgame tactic
Show solution
40. Ne5+ fxe5 41. Rxc7
FEN: 8/2r5/1n3pk1/6pp/1pNP4/6P1/5P1P/2R2K2 w - - 3 40
Puzzle 6: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 28... f4.
Puzzle rating 1230
Hint
Show solution
29. Re7+ Kxd6 30. Rxb7+ Kc6 31. Rxb2
FEN: 5B2/ppR4p/3Pk1p1/4p3/4Pp2/7P/Pr2b1P1/7K w - - 0 29
Puzzle 7: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 26... Qg6.
Puzzle rating 1444
Hint
Theme: pin, discovered attack, deflection
Show solution
27. Bxf6+ Kxf6 28. Rxe6+ Kxe6 29. Qxg6+
FEN: r6r/pp4k1/2p1pnq1/2P1B3/1P1P4/P5Q1/5PPP/4R1K1 w - - 11 27
Puzzle 8: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 25... Rc4.
Puzzle rating 1514
Hint
Theme: discovered attack, discovered check, clearance
Show solution
26. Bxh7+ Kh8 27. Qh3 Qg5 28. Bd3+
FEN: 5rk1/p3qppp/4p3/1p6/1PrPB3/P2Q4/5PPP/R5K1 w - - 1 26
Puzzle 9: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 43. h4.
Puzzle rating 1564
Hint
Show solution
43... f4+ 44. Ke2 Bxg6
FEN: 8/8/6B1/4kp2/4b1PP/4K3/8/8 b - - 0 43
Puzzle 10: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 28. Rf1.
Puzzle rating 1665
Hint
Theme: pin, discovered attack, capturing the defender
Show solution
28... Rxf4 29. Rxf4 Qxe5 30. Qb2 Qxb2
FEN: 5r1k/pp4q1/5rp1/3pR3/5P2/1P4KP/P1Q5/5R2 b - - 1 28
Puzzle 11: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 15. Nf3.
Puzzle rating 1734
Hint
Theme: fork, discovered attack, sacrifice
Show solution
15... Bxe3 16. Nxh4 Nf2+ 17. Kg1 Nxd1+
FEN: r1b2k1r/pp3ppp/2p5/2bp4/5Pnq/1B2BN2/PPP3PP/RN1QR2K b - - 5 15
Puzzle 12: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 15... Bd7.
Puzzle rating 1839
Hint
Theme: discovered attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
16. Nd5 Nxd5 17. Qxa5
FEN: r4rk1/3bbppp/pRpppn2/q7/4P3/2NBBP2/P1PQ2PP/5RK1 w - - 2 16
Puzzle 13: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 30. axb5.
Puzzle rating 1987
Hint
Theme: fork, discovered attack, interference
Show solution
30... Nd3+ 31. Bxd3 Bxd4
FEN: 2r2r1k/2P4P/p2p1b2/1P1Pnq2/3Bp3/5p2/1P3P2/2RQKB1R b K - 0 30
Puzzle 14: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 9. Bxd8.
Puzzle rating 2033
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, discovered attack, sacrifice
Show solution
9... Nf3+ 10. gxf3 Bxf2#
FEN: r1bBk2r/ppp2ppp/8/2bp4/3nn3/3P4/PPP1NPPP/RN1QKB1R b KQkq - 0 9
Puzzle 15: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 41. Qe5.
Puzzle rating 2153
Hint
Show solution
41... Rf3+ 42. Kg2 Re3+ 43. Qxe4+ Rxe4
FEN: 8/8/p4rkp/4Q1p1/2P1b3/6K1/P4P1P/8 b - - 8 41
Puzzle 16: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 24... Kd7.
Puzzle rating 2212
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, discovered attack, discovered check
Show solution
25. Bb5+ Kc8 26. Rdxd8#
FEN: r2r1R2/1bpk4/pp2q1Np/4P1p1/6n1/2PB4/PP4PP/3R2K1 w - - 1 25
Puzzle 17: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 29... Kg8.
Puzzle rating 2331
Hint
Theme: fork, discovered attack, discovered check
Show solution
30. Ne4 Qd4 31. Nf6+ Kg7 32. Nxd7+
FEN: 2r3k1/3r1p1p/pq4p1/4Q1P1/8/2N5/1PP2P1P/4R1K1 w - - 2 30
Puzzle 18: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 26. Kd1.
Puzzle rating 2358
Hint
Show solution
26... Bb3+ 27. Kd2 Be3+ 28. Ke1 Bb6+ 29. Be2 Bxc7
FEN: 8/p1Q1n1p1/4bk1p/1Bb1N3/4qp2/P5P1/1P3P1P/R2K1R2 b - - 1 26
Puzzle 19: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 40... Kg8.
Puzzle rating 2463
Hint
Theme: pin, discovered attack, discovered check
Show solution
41. Rf1+ Re6 42. Rxe1
FEN: 3n2k1/1p1P1Rpp/p7/1p6/8/P1P1r3/BPK3PP/4r3 w - - 1 41
Puzzle 20: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 18. Qxf7.
Puzzle rating 2540
Hint
Theme: fork, discovered attack, discovered check
Show solution
18... Bh2+ 19. Kh1 Bxg2+ 20. Kxg2 Qg3+ 21. Kh1 Qxh3 22. Rf3 Bg3+ 23. Kg1 Rh8 24. Qxe6+ Qxe6
FEN: 2kr2r1/1pq2Q2/p1bbp3/6P1/3P4/2N1B2P/PPP3P1/R4RK1 b - - 0 18