Opening tactic chess puzzles
20 opening tactic puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a opening tactic in chess?
Opening puzzles come from the first moves of the game: traps, early attacks on an undeveloped king and pieces left loose before castling.
How to spot a opening tactic
In the opening, punish undeveloped pieces and a king left in the centre. Watch for f7/f2, loose bishops and queens brought out too early.
Learn it first: Castling · Three golden opening rules
Opening tactic chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 13. Nxe6.
Puzzle rating 662
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, kingside attack, opening tactic
Show solution
13... Qxh2#
FEN: 2kr1b1r/p1p2pp1/2pqN3/7p/6n1/2NPB3/PPP2PPP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 13
Puzzle 2: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 10. Bxh6.
Puzzle rating 719
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, opening tactic
Show solution
10... Nc2#
FEN: r2qkb1r/ppp2ppp/7B/4p3/2Qn4/2N4P/PP2PPP1/R3KB1R b KQkq - 0 10
Puzzle 3: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 7... Nxh5.
Puzzle rating 880
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, attacking f2/f7, opening tactic
Show solution
8. Bxf7#
FEN: rn1qkb1r/pp2pppp/2p5/4N2n/2B5/2N1P3/PP1P1PPP/R1B1K2R w KQkq - 0 8
Puzzle 4: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 10... Bxf3.
Puzzle rating 972
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, opening tactic
Show solution
11. Nxc7#
FEN: r3kb1r/1pp1pppp/p1n2n2/1N2B3/8/5b2/PPP3PP/2KR1BNR w kq - 0 11
Puzzle 5: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 7... Bb4.
Puzzle rating 1023
Hint
Theme: pin, capturing the defender, opening tactic
Show solution
8. Nxd5 Qxd5 9. Qxb4
FEN: rnbqk2r/pp3ppp/2p5/3n4/Qb6/2N2N2/PP1P1PPP/R1B1KB1R w KQkq - 2 8
Puzzle 6: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 8. Bg5.
Puzzle rating 1172
Hint
Theme: kingside attack, opening tactic
Show solution
8... Nxf3+ 9. Bxf3 Qxg5
FEN: r1bqk1nr/1p1p1pbp/p3p1p1/2p3B1/3nP3/2NP1N2/PPP1BPPP/R2Q1RK1 b kq - 2 8
Puzzle 7: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 10. dxe4.
Puzzle rating 1256
Hint
Theme: opening tactic
Show solution
10... Nxf3+ 11. Qxf3 Bxf3 12. Bb5+ Ke7
FEN: r2qkb1r/pp3ppp/8/8/2BnP1b1/2P2N2/PP3PPP/R1BQK2R b KQkq - 0 10
Puzzle 8: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 8... Nh5.
Puzzle rating 1291
Hint
Theme: discovered attack, opening tactic
Show solution
9. Nxd4 Bxd4 10. Bxh5
FEN: r1bq1rk1/ppp2ppp/3p4/2b1p2n/2PnP3/P2P1N1P/1P2BPP1/RNBQ1RK1 w - - 1 9
Puzzle 9: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 16. Bxb4.
Puzzle rating 1444
Hint
Theme: pin, opening tactic
Show solution
16... Bg5 17. Qxg5 Rxg5
FEN: 2krn1r1/pppqbp1p/3p4/5P2/1B2P3/4Q2P/1PP1B3/2KR2NR b - - 0 16
Puzzle 10: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 10... Rxg8.
Puzzle rating 1526
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, opening tactic
Show solution
11. Qf7#
FEN: r1bq1kr1/ppp3p1/2np3p/2b3N1/3pP3/1QP5/P4PPP/RNB1K2R w KQ - 0 11
Puzzle 11: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 15. e5.
Puzzle rating 1618
Hint
Theme: attraction (decoy), sacrifice, attacking f2/f7
Show solution
15... Bxf2+ 16. Kxf2 Ne4+
FEN: r1bq3k/ppp4p/2n2n2/2b1P1Q1/2B5/8/PPP2PPP/R1B1K2R b KQ - 0 15
Puzzle 12: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 5. exd6.
Puzzle rating 1674
Hint
Theme: opening tactic
Show solution
5... Bxg5 6. Nxg5 Qxg5
FEN: r1bqk1nr/ppp1bppp/2nP4/6B1/8/5N2/PPP1PPPP/RN1QKB1R b KQkq - 0 5
Puzzle 13: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 7. Nc3.
Puzzle rating 1735
Hint
Theme: opening tactic
Show solution
7... Bxg2 8. Bxf7+ Ke7
FEN: rn1qkb1r/ppp2ppp/5n2/3b4/8/1BN1P3/PPP2PPP/R1BQK1NR b KQkq - 1 7
Puzzle 14: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 8... Kg8.
Puzzle rating 1862
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, discovered attack, discovered check
Show solution
9. Qb3+ c4 10. Qxc4+ d5 11. exd6+ Be6 12. Qxe6#
FEN: r1bq1bkr/pp1p2pp/2n5/2p1P1N1/3p2n1/2P5/PP3PPP/RNBQK2R w KQ - 2 9
Puzzle 15: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 11... Bxd1.
Puzzle rating 1990
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, attacking f2/f7, opening tactic
Show solution
12. Bxf7+ Kf8 13. Ng6#
FEN: r2qk1nr/p3bpp1/2pp3p/4N3/2B1P3/8/PPPN2PP/R1Bb1RK1 w kq - 0 12
Puzzle 16: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 9. Nxe5.
Puzzle rating 2085
Hint
Theme: intermezzo (zwischenzug), attacking f2/f7, opening tactic
Show solution
9... Qxf2+ 10. Kd2 Nxe5
FEN: r1b1k2r/pppp1ppp/8/2qNN3/2P3n1/8/PP2PPPP/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 0 9
Puzzle 17: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 12... Bxf3.
Puzzle rating 2210
Hint
Show solution
13. Nxa7+ Nxa7 14. Bxf3
FEN: 2kr1bnr/pp3ppp/2n5/1N1q4/3p4/2P2b2/4BPPP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 13
Puzzle 18: White to move and mate in 5
White to move and mate in 5. The opponent just played 9... Kxh7.
Puzzle rating 2305
Hint
Theme: discovered attack, discovered check, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
10. hxg5+ Kg8 11. Rh8+ Kxh8 12. Qh5+ Kg8 13. g6 Nf6 14. exf6 Rxf6 15. Qh7+ Kf8 16. Qh8#
FEN: rnbq1r2/pppnb1pk/4p3/3pP1p1/3P3P/2N5/PPP1QPP1/R3K1NR w KQ - 0 10
Puzzle 19: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 13. Nb6.
Puzzle rating 2393
Hint
Theme: opening tactic
Show solution
13... Bxd4 14. Qxd4 Nc6 15. Qxe4 Rxe4
FEN: rnbqr1k1/5pbp/pN4p1/1p1P4/3Bn3/2N5/PP2PPPP/R2QKB1R b KQ - 1 13
Puzzle 20: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 24. cxd4.
Puzzle rating 2503
Hint
Theme: opening tactic
Show solution
24... Bxb5 25. Qh5 f5
FEN: r2b1r1k/p2bqppp/3N4/1N6/1P1PBP2/P2n3P/6P1/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 24