Interference chess puzzles
20 interference puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a interference in chess?
Interference places a piece between two enemy pieces that defend each other or cut the line a defender uses, so the defence breaks.
How to spot a interference
Look for an enemy piece defending along a line. A piece of yours dropped onto that line, even as a sacrifice, can cut the connection.
Learn it first: Clearance and interference
Interference chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 14. Ke2.
Puzzle rating 919
Hint
Theme: interference, opening tactic
Show solution
14... Qg2+ 15. Ke1 Qxh1+
FEN: r1b1k2r/pp2nppp/8/4P3/3p4/3B1NqP/P1P1K3/RN1Q3R b kq - 1 14
Puzzle 2: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 53. Kxe6.
Puzzle rating 1155
Hint
Theme: skewer, interference, rook endgame
Show solution
53... Rb6+ 54. Kd7 Rxb7+ 55. Kc6 Rxf7
FEN: 8/1P3R2/4K1k1/4P3/8/8/8/1r6 b - - 0 53
Puzzle 3: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 37. Re1.
Puzzle rating 1277
Hint
Theme: interference, endgame tactic
Show solution
37... Qb2+ 38. Kd1 Qxa1+
FEN: 2b5/p1p2kqp/1p1p2p1/3P4/1PP5/4QPn1/P2K2P1/R3R3 b - - 12 37
Puzzle 4: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 33. Rxc1.
Puzzle rating 1395
Hint
Theme: fork, interference, endgame tactic
Show solution
33... Bg5 34. Qh3 Bxc1
FEN: q5k1/pp2b2p/4n1pQ/1P1pBp2/3P4/P7/5PPP/2R3K1 b - - 0 33
Puzzle 5: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 22... Rd1.
Puzzle rating 1442
Hint
Show solution
23. Qxa7+ Kc8 24. Qa8+ Kd7 25. Rxd1+
FEN: 1k1r4/ppp2pb1/4b2p/5qp1/1P3p2/5N2/1P3QPP/R1BrR1K1 w - - 3 23
Puzzle 6: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 17. Qe1.
Puzzle rating 1553
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, deflection, interference
Show solution
17... Be2+ 18. Kf2 Ne4+ 19. Kg1 Qxe1#
FEN: 3k1b1r/p4ppp/5n2/2p5/3p1Pb1/N7/PP1P2PP/R1BqQK1R b - - 3 17
Puzzle 7: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 36... Qf8.
Puzzle rating 1658
Hint
Theme: interference, quiet move, queen and rook endgame
Show solution
37. Rec1 Qd8 38. Rc8 Qxd7 39. Rxb8
FEN: 1r3q2/1P1Pp2k/6pp/5p2/4p3/4P2P/5PP1/1R2R1K1 w - - 1 37
Puzzle 8: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 42... f6.
Puzzle rating 1715
Hint
Theme: interference, rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
43. Rd6 Ra8 44. Rxe6
FEN: 8/8/r3ppk1/4Pp1p/5P1K/6PP/3R4/8 w - - 0 43
Puzzle 9: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 32... Rf2.
Puzzle rating 1817
Hint
Show solution
33. Rf3+ Qe4 34. Rxf2 Qxb1 35. Rxb1
FEN: 8/5ppk/1p2p2p/6n1/5q2/3R3P/5rP1/1Q4RK w - - 5 33
Puzzle 10: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 35... Qf7.
Puzzle rating 1852
Hint
Theme: interference, endgame tactic
Show solution
36. Re7 Qg6 37. Rxd7
FEN: 7k/pp1b1qp1/5r1p/4R3/1P1p4/8/P4PQ1/4R1K1 w - - 2 36
Puzzle 11: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 12... Qc3.
Puzzle rating 1943
Hint
Theme: interference, opening tactic
Show solution
13. Rb3 Qa5 14. Rb5 Qxa2 15. Rxc5
FEN: r1b2rk1/pp3ppp/2n5/2bp2B1/8/2qB1N2/P1P2PPP/1R1Q1RK1 w - - 2 13
Puzzle 12: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 25... Nd2.
Puzzle rating 1964
Hint
Theme: interference, middlegame tactic
Show solution
26. f4 Qf6 27. Qxd2
FEN: 2r1r1k1/p4ppp/1p2p3/3p2q1/PP1Q4/2P3N1/3n1PPP/R3R1K1 w - - 1 26
Puzzle 13: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 45... a4.
Puzzle rating 2040
Hint
Theme: interference, bishop endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
46. Bc6 Bf7 47. Bxa4
FEN: 4b3/4P3/3K4/3B1k2/p5p1/6P1/8/8 w - - 0 46
Puzzle 14: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 26. Bd4.
Puzzle rating 2171
Hint
Theme: interference, middlegame tactic
Show solution
26... Re4 27. Qg5 Rxd4
FEN: 4r1k1/pp2r1pp/8/2Rn4/3B3Q/1P1q3P/P4PP1/2R3K1 b - - 6 26
Puzzle 15: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 30... Qxf5.
Puzzle rating 2197
Hint
Theme: fork, interference, sacrifice
Show solution
31. Re5 dxe5 32. Qxd5+ Kh7 33. Qxa8
FEN: r5k1/2p3p1/3p3p/pQ1b1q2/3P4/7P/1P1NR1P1/6K1 w - - 0 31
Puzzle 16: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 31... Rad8.
Puzzle rating 2354
Hint
Theme: discovered check, double check, interference
Show solution
32. Ne8+ Kh7 33. Rxd8
FEN: 3r1r2/p4pk1/3R1N2/1p2B3/8/8/q4PP1/5RK1 w - - 8 32
Puzzle 17: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 35... Rde8.
Puzzle rating 2419
Hint
Theme: interference, endgame tactic
Show solution
36. Rh7+ Kg5 37. h4+ Kf5 38. Nh6+ Ke6 39. Kxe1
FEN: 4r3/1R6/p5p1/7k/5pN1/5P1P/PPPn1KP1/4r3 w - - 2 36
Puzzle 18: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 42... Kxe7.
Puzzle rating 2449
Hint
Theme: interference, sacrifice, middlegame tactic
Show solution
43. Nxd5+ exd5 44. Qf6+ Ke8 45. Qxh8+ Ke7 46. Qf6+
FEN: 2r4r/3bkpQ1/4p2P/3p4/5N2/4q3/2p3BK/5R2 w - - 0 43
Puzzle 19: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 28. Bd3.
Puzzle rating 2470
Hint
Theme: interference, endgame tactic
Show solution
28... Re3 29. Qf4 Rxd3
FEN: 4r3/p5k1/1q4p1/3P1b1p/8/1P1B1Q2/P4RPP/6K1 b - - 2 28
Puzzle 20: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 25... fxg6.
Puzzle rating 2738
Hint
Theme: interference, intermezzo (zwischenzug), kingside attack
Show solution
26. Bd5+ Be6 27. Qxg6
FEN: r1b2rk1/1p4n1/pb1q2p1/7Q/1P2B3/P2N4/1B3PPP/2R3K1 w - - 0 26