Exposed king chess puzzles
20 exposed king puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a exposed king in chess?
An exposed king has lost its pawn cover or stayed in the centre, so checks and attacks come quickly.
How to spot a exposed king
Look for open files and diagonals leading to the king and bring more attackers than there are defenders. Checks that bring a new piece into the attack are the strongest.
Learn it first: Attacking f7/f2 and the uncastled king · Attacking the castled king · Static vs dynamic advantages · Attack and defence at master level
Exposed king chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 33. e5.
Puzzle rating 709
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, exposed king, endgame tactic
Show solution
33... Bxe5+ 34. Rd4 Bxd4+ 35. c3 Bxc3#
FEN: r6k/3RNpbp/6p1/4P3/8/5B2/p1P2PPP/K7 b - - 0 33
Puzzle 2: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 68. Rh2.
Puzzle rating 986
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, promotion, exposed king
Show solution
68... b3+ 69. Ka1 b2+ 70. Ka2 b1=Q#
FEN: 8/8/8/8/kp6/p7/K2n3R/8 b - - 5 68
Puzzle 3: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 35... Kg8.
Puzzle rating 1185
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, exposed king, endgame tactic
Show solution
36. Qf7+ Kh8 37. Qe8+ Bf8 38. Qxf8#
FEN: 6k1/p5b1/1pp3p1/6N1/3P1Q2/2P3P1/PPK5/3r3q w - - 14 36
Puzzle 4: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 35. Rg1.
Puzzle rating 1375
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, fork, exposed king
Show solution
35... Bxf3+ 36. Qxf3 Rh6+ 37. Qh5 Rxh5#
FEN: 8/1b4k1/p3pr2/1p3p1Q/3P1P2/1P2pNq1/2P5/2R3RK b - - 1 35
Puzzle 5: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 23. Bxh1.
Puzzle rating 1418
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, attraction (decoy), sacrifice
Show solution
23... Rxh1+ 24. Kxh1 Qh3+ 25. Kg1 Qh2#
FEN: 2k4r/pbp2p2/1p1bqP2/6Q1/4p3/P3P1p1/1PPN4/R1B2RKB b - - 0 23
Puzzle 6: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 22... Qxd7.
Puzzle rating 1587
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Pillsbury’s mate, discovered attack
Show solution
23. Bf8+ Qh3 24. Rxh3+ Bh4 25. Rxh4#
FEN: r3r2k/pppq1B2/5bpB/8/8/2P5/PP2pPP1/2K4R w - - 0 23
Puzzle 7: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 21... Qb7.
Puzzle rating 1603
Hint
Theme: fork, pin, exposed king
Show solution
22. Qf5+ Qd7 23. Rxc6+ Kb7 24. Rc7+ Qxc7 25. Bxc7
FEN: 2kr4/pq3pp1/2p2b1p/7P/3P1Bn1/3Q1N2/Pr3PP1/2R2K1R w - - 2 22
Puzzle 8: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 12. Rxf2.
Puzzle rating 1749
Hint
Theme: fork, deflection, exposed king
Show solution
12... Bxf2 13. Qxf2 Qd1+ 14. Qe1 Bxf3 15. Qxd1 Bxd1
FEN: r2q1rk1/ppp2ppp/2n1p3/2b4b/4PP2/5NPP/PPP2RB1/RNB1Q2K b - - 0 12
Puzzle 9: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 23. Rg1.
Puzzle rating 1784
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, discovered check, double check
Show solution
23... Qg2+ 24. Rxg2 hxg2+ 25. Kg1 Rh1#
FEN: 2k3rr/p2n4/2p1pp2/3p2q1/3P4/2P1N2p/P1QN1P2/R5RK b - - 7 23
Puzzle 10: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 41. Qg2.
Puzzle rating 1866
Hint
Theme: pin, attraction (decoy), interference
Show solution
41... Rxf1+ 42. Kxf1 Qd1+ 43. Kf2 Qxc2+
FEN: 8/5ppk/2p3p1/2Pp4/6qP/8/2R3Q1/4rRK1 b - - 1 41
Puzzle 11: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 15. Bxh7+.
Puzzle rating 1981
Hint
Theme: hanging piece, defensive move, exposed king
Show solution
15... Kxh7 16. Qxd5 Qxa5+ 17. Bd2 Qb6
FEN: rn1q1rk1/4bppB/p2p4/Np1bp3/8/4BP2/PPPQ2PP/R3K2R b KQ - 0 15
Puzzle 12: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 32... Kf7.
Puzzle rating 2026
Hint
Theme: pin, discovered attack, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
33. fxg6+ Kxe6 34. Rxf6+ Kxf6 35. Qxh8+
FEN: 7r/p4k2/2q1Nrn1/5P1Q/P3P3/3p4/1PP3PP/5RK1 w - - 7 33
Puzzle 13: Black to move and mate in 4
Black to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 38. Kf1.
Puzzle rating 2113
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, Pillsbury’s mate, exposed king
Show solution
38... Rh1+ 39. Kf2 Rg2+ 40. Ke3 Rh3+ 41. Kf4 Rf2#
FEN: 7r/1bpNk3/pp2p1Q1/4P1P1/2PP2P1/3B2r1/PP6/5K2 b - - 6 38
Puzzle 14: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 28. Rg3.
Puzzle rating 2166
Hint
Theme: fork, deflection, exposed king
Show solution
28... Qh2+ 29. Ke1 Rxe2+ 30. Qxe2 Qxg3+
FEN: 4r1k1/pp4pp/6p1/3pP3/3P3q/1P2Q1R1/P1r1NK2/R7 b - - 11 28
Puzzle 15: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 32. Qh2.
Puzzle rating 2267
Hint
Theme: sacrifice, promotion, exposed king
Show solution
32... Qa7 33. Bxe5 Qa1+ 34. Kc2 b1=Q+
FEN: 5kr1/2q2pp1/5b2/3RnP2/4PB2/1r5P/1p2B2Q/1K4R1 b - - 1 32
Puzzle 16: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 33... Rg8.
Puzzle rating 2366
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, pin, deflection
Show solution
34. Qf6+ Rg7 35. Qf8+ Rg8 36. Rxh7+ Kxh7 37. Qh6#
FEN: 3Q2rk/3b3n/2p5/pp1pp3/3q4/8/PPPB4/2K4R w - - 4 34
Puzzle 17: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 25... Kg6.
Puzzle rating 2380
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, Opera mate, Pillsbury’s mate
Show solution
26. Rh6+ Kg5 27. Bf6+ Kf4 28. Rh4+ Ng4 29. Rxg4#
FEN: r4r2/1pp2pB1/3p2k1/1Pb1nN1R/4P3/1qP5/4B1PP/7K w - - 1 26
Puzzle 18: Black to move and mate in 4
Black to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 36. Ke2.
Puzzle rating 2436
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, discovered check, double check
Show solution
36... Ng3+ 37. Kf2 Nh1+ 38. Kg1 Rd1+ 39. Ne1 Rdxe1#
FEN: 3r4/1RR4p/4r1pk/8/1P2n3/P4N2/4K1PP/8 b - - 8 36
Puzzle 19: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 33. Qe7.
Puzzle rating 2494
Hint
Theme: fork, hanging piece, exposed king
Show solution
33... Rxc3+ 34. Kd2 Qc2+ 35. Ke1 Rc4 36. d7 Re4+ 37. Qxe4 Qxe4+
FEN: 5rk1/4Qppp/3P2q1/1p6/1Pr5/2N5/6PP/2KR1R2 b - - 2 33
Puzzle 20: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 50. Nh4+.
Puzzle rating 2875
Hint
Theme: defensive move, exposed king, knight endgame
Show solution
50... Kg5 51. Ng2 Kg4 52. Ne1 Kh3 53. f3 e3+ 54. Kxd3 Kxh2
FEN: 8/8/8/5k1p/4pp1N/3p4/3K1P1P/8 b - - 3 50