Hanging piece chess puzzles
20 hanging piece puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a hanging piece in chess?
A hanging piece is one left unprotected where it can be taken for free. Finding hanging pieces, yours and your opponent’s, is the first step of every move.
How to spot a hanging piece
After every opponent move, ask: what did that move stop protecting? Then check every capture you have.
Learn it first: Long-range pieces: rook, bishop and queen · Check and the three ways out · What the pieces are worth · What did my opponent just do? · Hanging pieces: take them and don’t leave them · The safety check before every move · Your first game review · Annotate first, engine second
Hanging piece chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 18. fxe5.
Puzzle rating 556
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, hanging piece, kingside attack
Show solution
18... Qxf1#
FEN: 2kr2nr/2p3p1/1p2pq1p/p3P3/P3P3/2P3Q1/1P4PP/1RB2R1K b - - 0 18
Puzzle 2: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 22. Qxh8.
Puzzle rating 635
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, hanging piece, endgame tactic
Show solution
22... Qxb1+ 23. Re1 Qxe1#
FEN: 7Q/1p3kpp/p3R3/8/8/8/qpP2PPP/1R4K1 b - - 0 22
Puzzle 3: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 28. Nxa6.
Puzzle rating 755
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Pillsbury’s mate, hanging piece
Show solution
28... Rxd1+ 29. Qe1 Rxe1#
FEN: 6k1/3b1p1p/N1pb1pp1/8/4B3/1P2Q2P/5PP1/r2R2K1 b - - 0 28
Puzzle 4: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 33... Bxh5.
Puzzle rating 919
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, hanging piece, middlegame tactic
Show solution
34. Rxf8#
FEN: 5r1k/p5p1/7p/4qR1b/1ppr2N1/7P/P5P1/1B3R1K w - - 0 34
Puzzle 5: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 45. Ba6.
Puzzle rating 1060
Hint
Theme: hanging piece, bishop endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
45... Kxa6 46. c7 Kb7 47. c8=Q+ Kxc8
FEN: 8/5p2/BkP2p2/1p2pP2/3bP1P1/1K6/8/8 b - - 12 45
Puzzle 6: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 29... Rxd1.
Puzzle rating 1151
Hint
Theme: intermezzo (zwischenzug), hanging piece, endgame tactic
Show solution
30. Nxe7+ Kf7 31. Rxd1
FEN: 6k1/p3r1bp/1p3p2/5N2/8/8/PP5P/3r1RK1 w - - 0 30
Puzzle 7: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 20. Rxc8.
Puzzle rating 1236
Hint
Theme: intermezzo (zwischenzug), hanging piece, middlegame tactic
Show solution
20... Nxe2+ 21. Kh1 Rxc8
FEN: 2R2rk1/pp3pbp/6p1/8/P2n4/7P/1P2BPPB/5RK1 b - - 0 20
Puzzle 8: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 19. Re6.
Puzzle rating 1361
Hint
Show solution
19... Qxc1+ 20. Qf1 Qxf1+
FEN: 1k1r1b1r/R1p3pp/Qpq1R3/8/8/1P6/1P1P1PPP/2B3K1 b - - 3 19
Puzzle 9: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 21. Nc4.
Puzzle rating 1402
Hint
Theme: hanging piece, middlegame tactic
Show solution
21... Qxb5 22. Nxb6 Qxb6
FEN: r1br2k1/1p3pp1/pb5p/1N2q3/2N5/1PP2Q1P/1P3PP1/R4R1K b - - 1 21
Puzzle 10: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 21... Kg7.
Puzzle rating 1471
Hint
Theme: hanging piece, middlegame tactic
Show solution
22. Qxe3 Nxe2 23. Qxe2
FEN: r2q4/1b4k1/pb2pp2/1p1p4/1P1n4/P1NQn3/4N1PP/2R2R1K w - - 2 22
Puzzle 11: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 18... Rb8.
Puzzle rating 1659
Hint
Theme: hanging piece, middlegame tactic
Show solution
19. Qxc6 Qxb1 20. Qxe8+ Rxe8 21. Rxb1
FEN: 1r2r1k1/pQ3ppp/2n5/8/4P3/5B2/q4PPP/1R3RK1 w - - 1 19
Puzzle 12: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 29. Rxg4.
Puzzle rating 1714
Hint
Theme: fork, hanging piece, middlegame tactic
Show solution
29... hxg4 30. Rg3 gxf3
FEN: r1b2rk1/pp6/4p1p1/5p1p/5PR1/3QPN1R/Pq4PP/5BK1 b - - 0 29
Puzzle 13: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 23. Rd8.
Puzzle rating 1798
Hint
Theme: hanging piece, defensive move, endgame tactic
Show solution
23... Rxd8 24. Qe7 Rg8
FEN: 3R1r1k/p6p/bp2QppP/8/2p5/1P2PqP1/P4P2/R5K1 b - - 2 23
Puzzle 14: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 29... Bxg3.
Puzzle rating 1938
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Opera mate, hanging piece
Show solution
30. Rxe8+ Kg7 31. Bf6+ Kh7 32. Rh8#
FEN: 4r1k1/5p2/pp1p2p1/3N1PB1/P7/1P4bP/2q5/4R1K1 w - - 0 30
Puzzle 15: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 31. Rd1.
Puzzle rating 1986
Hint
Theme: hanging piece, middlegame tactic
Show solution
31... Rxc7 32. Rd8+ Kf7
FEN: r5k1/p1R2rpp/4p3/1p3pQ1/1P6/6P1/q5NP/3R3K b - - 2 31
Puzzle 16: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 32. Nd5.
Puzzle rating 2082
Hint
Theme: hanging piece, middlegame tactic
Show solution
32... Qxd8 33. Ne7+ Bxe7 34. Rxd8+ Bxd8
FEN: 3R1bk1/2q2n1p/rn2rPp1/2pNp3/p3P3/1P3N1P/PBQ2P2/3R2K1 b - - 2 32
Puzzle 17: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 41. Kxh1.
Puzzle rating 2180
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, hanging piece, exposed king
Show solution
41... Rxf1+ 42. Rg1 Qh3+ 43. Rh2 Nf2#
FEN: 5rk1/pp6/4q3/P2pQ3/1P1Pn3/4P1P1/2R3R1/5N1K b - - 0 41
Puzzle 18: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 24. Nxf7.
Puzzle rating 2370
Hint
Theme: hanging piece, middlegame tactic
Show solution
24... Kxf7 25. Re7+ Qxe7 26. Rxe7+ Kxe7
FEN: 3q1rk1/1b3N1p/p2r2p1/1ppPR3/8/1P1Q4/P4PPP/4R1K1 b - - 0 24
Puzzle 19: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 10. Bxh7+.
Puzzle rating 2411
Hint
Theme: hanging piece, opening tactic
Show solution
10... Kxh7 11. Ng5+ Kg8 12. Qd3 Bxg5
FEN: r2q1rk1/ppp1bppB/2npb3/8/5B1P/2P2N2/PPP2PP1/R2QK2R b KQ - 0 10
Puzzle 20: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 11. Qxb7.
Puzzle rating 2490
Hint
Theme: skewer, hanging piece, opening tactic
Show solution
11... Qxc1+ 12. Ke2 Qxh1 13. Nc6 Nxc6
FEN: rn2kb1r/pQ3ppp/4pn2/2q1N3/8/4P3/PP3PPP/RNB1K2R b KQkq - 0 11