Chess puzzles for 1200–1400 rated players
Puzzles rated 1250–1650, the right difficulty for Class D players (Class D (1200–1399)).
Which puzzles should a 1200–1400 player solve?
Puzzles rated about 1250–1650, with most of the work on deflection, attraction (decoy), clearance, interference. Solve them slowly and check every reply before you look at the solution. See the full plan in how to improve at 1200–1400.
Puzzle 1: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 28... Rdxe3.
Puzzle rating 1275
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, back-rank mate, X-ray attack
Show solution
29. Qxe8+ Rxe8 30. Rxe8+ Bf8 31. Rxf8#
FEN: 4r2k/p5pp/1pQ5/2b2p2/P4P2/2q1r2P/4R1P1/4R2K w - - 0 29
Puzzle 2: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 19. Rxd5.
Puzzle rating 1357
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, deflection, queenside attack
Show solution
19... Qe1+ 20. Rd1 Be3+ 21. Kb1 Qxd1#
FEN: 2k4r/ppp1q1pp/5p2/1QbR4/8/8/PPP3PP/2K3NR b - - 0 19
Puzzle 3: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 17... dxe4.
Puzzle rating 1370
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, kingside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
18. Ncxe4 Re8 19. Nxf6+ Bxf6 20. Qxh7+ Kf8 21. Qxf7#
FEN: r1bq1rk1/1p2bp1p/p4npQ/6N1/3Pp3/2Np4/PP3PPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 18
Puzzle 4: White to move and mate in 3
Puzzle 5: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 30. Kg3.
Puzzle rating 1388
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, middlegame tactic
Show solution
30... Rg2+ 31. Kh4 Bxf6#
FEN: 7b/p3Np2/3p1Ppk/2p1p3/2P1Pn2/5RK1/Pr6/R6N b - - 2 30
Puzzle 6: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 21. Qf4.
Puzzle rating 1398
Hint
Theme: middlegame tactic
Show solution
21... Bc7 22. Rxh8 Bxf4
FEN: R2b3r/1p2kp1p/2q1bp2/1pp5/5Q2/2PBPN1P/1P3PP1/6K1 b - - 4 21
Puzzle 7: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 31... Ree2.
Puzzle rating 1414
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, epaulette mate, rook endgame
Show solution
32. Rg5+ Kh6 33. Rf6#
FEN: 8/7p/6k1/p1R4p/Pp5P/8/1r2r1P1/5RK1 w - - 2 32
Puzzle 8: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 28... Rc7.
Puzzle rating 1427
Hint
Theme: fork, endgame tactic
Show solution
29. Na6+ Kb7 30. Nxc7
FEN: 1k5r/n1r3pp/5p2/ppN5/5P2/8/2R3PP/1R4K1 w - - 4 29
Puzzle 9: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 52... Qg4+.
Puzzle rating 1435
Hint
Theme: pin, defensive move, queen and rook endgame
Show solution
53. Rg3 Qxg3+ 54. Kxg3
FEN: 8/8/5P2/6k1/6q1/5R2/5PK1/8 w - - 1 53
Puzzle 10: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 14. dxe5.
Puzzle rating 1447
Hint
Theme: skewer, middlegame tactic
Show solution
14... Bxg4+ 15. Kg2 Bxd1
FEN: rnb1k2r/pp3ppp/3p2q1/2p1P3/4P1P1/5KB1/P4P1P/R2Q1BNR b kq - 0 14
Puzzle 11: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 34... Bf8.
Puzzle rating 1455
Hint
Theme: defensive move, endgame tactic
Show solution
35. Qf7 Qc1+ 36. Kh2 Bd6+ 37. g3
FEN: 4Qb1k/7p/6p1/1pq5/8/1B5P/5PP1/6K1 w - - 4 35
Puzzle 12: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 40... Qh6.
Puzzle rating 1466
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Opera mate, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
41. Qxg8+ Kxg8 42. Rf8#
FEN: 6rk/5Qpp/3Bp2q/2Pp4/1P2n3/7P/8/5R1K w - - 7 41
Puzzle 13: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 32... Rxc6.
Puzzle rating 1475
Hint
Theme: interference, advanced pawn, endgame tactic
Show solution
33. Rxc6+ bxc6 34. b7 Bd6 35. Bc5 Bb8 36. Bxa3
FEN: 8/1p2b3/1Pr1kp2/p3p1p1/7p/n3BN1P/4KPP1/2R5 w - - 0 33
Puzzle 14: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 23... Rde8.
Puzzle rating 1480
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, deflection, sacrifice
Show solution
24. Qxf7+ Rxf7 25. Rxe8+ Rf8 26. Rfxf8#
FEN: 2b1r1k1/ppq1rppp/3p4/2pP4/2P5/1P1P2PP/P3RQBK/5R2 w - - 3 24
Puzzle 15: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 21... Bf6.
Puzzle rating 1500
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, sacrifice, middlegame tactic
Show solution
22. Ng6+ hxg6 23. Qh3#
FEN: r4r1k/3nNBpp/p4b2/q5B1/8/5Q2/PP3PP1/2R4K w - - 1 22
Puzzle 16: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 15. Qd5.
Puzzle rating 1510
Hint
Theme: fork, attraction (decoy), sacrifice
Show solution
15... Ra1+ 16. Kd2 Rd1+ 17. Kxd1 Nc3+ 18. Ke1 Nxd5
FEN: r4bnr/1pp1k1pp/3p1p2/1n1QpB2/8/1P2B3/2P1PP1P/4K1NR b K - 2 15
Puzzle 17: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 38. Kh1.
Puzzle rating 1518
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, fork, exposed king
Show solution
38... Bf3+ 39. Kg1 Qg3+ 40. Kf1 Qg2#
FEN: rb1nQ3/1p6/p1pP3p/P1P5/1P3qbk/8/1BB5/3RR2K b - - 5 38
Puzzle 18: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 11. Rxa6.
Puzzle rating 1522
Hint
Theme: opening tactic
Show solution
11... Rxa6 12. Bxa6 Qb6
FEN: r2qkbnr/1n1bpppp/R2p4/3P4/1B2P3/5N2/1P3PPP/1N1QKB1R b Kkq - 0 11
Puzzle 19: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 18... Raf8.
Puzzle rating 1535
Hint
Theme: trapped piece, middlegame tactic
Show solution
19. Bg5 Qxg5 20. Qxg5
FEN: 5rk1/ppp2rp1/3b2p1/2p1p2p/2PnP1Pq/3PBP1P/PP1Q2KN/R4R2 w - - 3 19