Queenside attack chess puzzles
20 queenside attack puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a queenside attack in chess?
Queenside attack puzzles target a king castled on the queenside, often through the open b- and c-files or with a sacrifice on b7 or b2.
How to spot a queenside attack
Look at the a-, b- and c-files and the long diagonals pointing at a1 or a8. Opening a file in front of that king is usually the plan.
Learn it first: Attacks with opposite-side castling
Queenside attack chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 23... Kb8.
Puzzle rating 546
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, queenside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
24. Rc8+ Rxc8 25. Qxc8#
FEN: 1k5r/ppR3p1/3bp3/8/7p/3rq2P/PPQ1N1P1/2R4K w - - 1 24
Puzzle 2: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 19. Bxd4.
Puzzle rating 693
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, hanging piece, queenside attack
Show solution
19... Qxd1#
FEN: r3r1k1/pp1n2p1/3b2p1/2pN2P1/q1PB4/5P2/PP3Q1P/1K1R2NR b - - 0 19
Puzzle 3: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 23. Qxd7.
Puzzle rating 864
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, queenside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
23... Re1+ 24. Rxe1 Qxe1#
FEN: 4r1k1/3Q1p1p/p2P2pB/1p1N4/8/1B6/PPP2qPP/2K4R b - - 0 23
Puzzle 4: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 25... Qxc6.
Puzzle rating 953
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, queenside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
26. Qxc6+ bxc6 27. Ba6#
FEN: 2kr3r/pp1n4/2q2bp1/P7/5B2/5Q1P/1PP2P2/R4BK1 w - - 0 26
Puzzle 5: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 17. Nxe4.
Puzzle rating 1056
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, queenside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
17... Qxa2+ 18. Kc1 Qa1#
FEN: 2kr3r/ppp2pp1/1b1pb2p/q7/3BNP2/8/PPPQB1PP/1K1R3R b - - 0 17
Puzzle 6: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 18. bxc3.
Puzzle rating 1179
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, discovered attack, discovered check
Show solution
18... Nd3+ 19. Ka1 Qb2#
FEN: 5r2/1p2p1kp/1q1ppnp1/8/pn2P1PP/2P2P2/P1PQ4/1K1R1B1R b - - 0 18
Puzzle 7: Black to move and mate in 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 14. Qxf2.
Puzzle rating 1292
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, queenside attack, opening tactic
Show solution
14... Bxa3#
FEN: r1b1k2r/1p1p1ppp/pqn1p3/4P3/1b2N3/P4N2/2PB1QPP/2KR1B1R b kq - 0 14
Puzzle 8: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 22. Be2.
Puzzle rating 1358
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, attraction (decoy), sacrifice
Show solution
22... Qxb1+ 23. Kxb1 Ra1#
FEN: r5k1/1p3p2/2p1ppp1/3p4/2nP4/1QB4P/rPP1BPP1/qNKR3R b - - 4 22
Puzzle 9: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 26... h3.
Puzzle rating 1505
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, epaulette mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
27. Qxb7+ Kxb7 28. Ra7+ Kc8 29. Rc7#
FEN: 1nkr1b1r/Qq4p1/1Ppp1n2/4pP2/4P3/2N1B2p/6PP/R4RK1 w - - 0 27
Puzzle 10: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 23... Qg6.
Puzzle rating 1616
Hint
Theme: attraction (decoy), interference, sacrifice
Show solution
24. Bc7+ Kxc7 25. Qxb7+ Kd8 26. Qxa8+
FEN: rk5r/1p2b2p/pB1p2q1/4n3/4Q3/8/2P2PPP/1R1R2K1 w - - 4 24
Puzzle 11: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 18... Ne4.
Puzzle rating 1650
Hint
Theme: deflection, queenside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
19. Rxc6+ Kb8 20. Nxd7+
FEN: 2k1rq1r/pp1n1pp1/2p3p1/3pN1B1/3PnPP1/P1R4P/1PP1Q3/1K5R w - - 1 19
Puzzle 12: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 36... Ne3.
Puzzle rating 1824
Hint
Show solution
37. Qxa4+ Qa7 38. Qc6+
FEN: k2r3r/6pp/1q6/8/n1P1N3/4nP2/PbQ3PP/1R3R1K w - - 10 37
Puzzle 13: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 36. Bd5.
Puzzle rating 1918
Hint
Theme: queenside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
36... Nc3+ 37. Qxc3 Qxc3
FEN: r5k1/r4pp1/3P3p/q1pB3P/4nBP1/1P6/P1QR3N/1K6 b - - 6 36
Puzzle 14: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 42... Qe3.
Puzzle rating 1962
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, attraction (decoy), sacrifice
Show solution
43. Rc8+ Kb7 44. Rxa7+ Kxa7 45. Qa4+ Kb7 46. Qa8#
FEN: 1k6/p2rr1p1/RpR2p2/3P3p/2QnP2P/4q3/B7/1K6 w - - 7 43
Puzzle 15: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 16... Nxa1.
Puzzle rating 2081
Hint
Theme: pin, queenside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
17. Qxb7+ Kd7 18. Qb5+ Ke7 19. Bb4
FEN: 2kr1b1r/ppp2p1p/3qpp2/8/4QP2/P2P1B2/1P1B1P1P/n4K1R w - - 0 17
Puzzle 16: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 25... g5.
Puzzle rating 2165
Hint
Theme: deflection, interference, queenside attack
Show solution
26. Rb1 Bd8 27. Qa8+ Kd7 28. Rxb7+
FEN: 2k1r3/Qp2bq1p/p1pp1p2/6p1/7B/2PP1P2/P5PP/4R1K1 w - - 0 26
Puzzle 17: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 25. Ndb3.
Puzzle rating 2297
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Opera mate, discovered attack
Show solution
25... Qa1+ 26. Nxa1 Na2+ 27. Kb1 Rxb2#
FEN: 1r3rk1/3b2p1/p4bP1/q1N5/1np5/1N2BP2/1PPQ4/2KR3R b - - 3 25
Puzzle 18: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 24. h5.
Puzzle rating 2414
Hint
Theme: pin, sacrifice, queenside attack
Show solution
24... Rxb3+ 25. axb3 Qxb3+ 26. Ka1 Qa3+ 27. Na2 Qxe3
FEN: 4nr2/p4pkp/3p2p1/3PPbPP/1r6/qPN1Q3/P1P5/1K1R2NR b - - 0 24
Puzzle 19: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 30. Rdd2.
Puzzle rating 2425
Hint
Theme: queenside attack, endgame tactic
Show solution
30... Qa1+ 31. Kc2 Rb3 32. Qxb3 axb3+
FEN: 1r6/5p1k/2p3np/6p1/p2P4/2Q2PP1/qP1RR1P1/2K5 b - - 1 30
Puzzle 20: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 34... Ne5.
Puzzle rating 2541
Hint
Theme: deflection, attraction (decoy), sacrifice
Show solution
35. Qa7 Qe1+ 36. Ka2 Nc6 37. Qa8+ Nb8 38. Rd8+ Kxd8 39. Qxb8+
FEN: 2k5/1pr2pp1/pQ5p/2N1n3/PP4PP/3R4/2P1q3/1K6 w - - 3 35