Chess puzzles for 1800–2000 rated players
Puzzles rated 1800–2200, the right difficulty for Class A players (Class A (1800–1999)).
Which puzzles should a 1800–2000 player solve?
Puzzles rated about 1800–2200, with most of the work on quiet move, defensive move, zugzwang, intermezzo (zwischenzug). Solve them slowly and check every reply before you look at the solution. See the full plan in how to improve at 1800–2000.
Puzzle 1: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 49. Kd2.
Puzzle rating 1816
Hint
Theme: fork, deflection, sacrifice
Show solution
49... Rxd6+ 50. cxd6 Rxd6+ 51. Bd3 Rxd3+ 52. Kxd3 c1=Q
FEN: 3r1k2/3rR3/p2P2B1/1pP1R1P1/1P6/1b6/2pK4/8 b - - 1 49
Puzzle 2: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 27. Nxe6.
Puzzle rating 1867
Show solution
27... Nxe5 28. dxe5 Bxe6
FEN: r2q2k1/2p3rp/p3N2p/1p1bR3/2nP1PP1/3Q3P/PPB5/5RK1 b - - 0 27
Puzzle 3: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 21. Nxe4.
Puzzle rating 1908
Hint
Theme: middlegame tactic
Show solution
21... Nxe4 22. Rxe4 c5 23. Nxe6 Rxd1
FEN: 3rrbk1/1p3p1p/2p1bp2/p1n5/P2NN3/1P6/2P2PPP/3RRBK1 b - - 0 21
Puzzle 4: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 24... Kf8.
Puzzle rating 1921
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Pillsbury’s mate, sacrifice
Show solution
25. Nxh7+ Bxh7 26. Rgf1+ Bf5 27. Rxf5#
FEN: r3rk2/ppp3pp/2n5/2P2bN1/2B5/8/PPn4P/2K1R1R1 w - - 2 25
Puzzle 5: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 27... cxd5.
Puzzle rating 1929
Hint
Theme: X-ray attack, endgame tactic
Show solution
28. Nxb6 Rxc2 29. Nxc8+ Rxc8 30. Rxc8
FEN: 1nr5/2r2p1p/pp1k2p1/3p1p2/N7/P3PKP1/1PR2P1P/2R5 w - - 0 28
Puzzle 6: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 13... Bxc3.
Puzzle rating 1941
Hint
Theme: queenside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
14. Qa8+ Qb8 15. Bxb7+ Kc7 16. Bf4+ Be5 17. Bxe5+
FEN: 2kr2nr/Qpqb1ppp/8/8/8/2b3P1/PP1BPPBP/n2K2NR w - - 0 14
Puzzle 7: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 53... Bxb4+.
Puzzle rating 1946
Hint
Theme: defensive move, bishop endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
54. Kxb4 Kxc6 55. Kc4
FEN: 8/2k3p1/2B4p/P1K4P/1b6/8/8/8 w - - 0 54
Puzzle 8: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 44... Bd2.
Puzzle rating 1954
Hint
Theme: pin, endgame tactic
Show solution
45. Kg2 Rxg3+ 46. hxg3
FEN: 8/8/6R1/p4ppp/5Nk1/r5P1/3b3P/5K2 w - - 2 45
Puzzle 9: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 27... Qd6.
Puzzle rating 1969
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, deflection, sacrifice
Show solution
28. Rxf7+ Nxf7 29. Qg6+ Kh8 30. Nxf7#
FEN: 1R1n1r2/r3bpk1/3qp2p/2p1N3/P1b5/P1N1P2P/2Q3P1/5RK1 w - - 2 28
Puzzle 10: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 21... Nd3.
Puzzle rating 1977
Hint
Theme: interference, middlegame tactic
Show solution
22. Re3 Qf4 23. Bxd3
FEN: r5k1/1p3p1p/p5p1/2pP4/2P1N3/3n1q2/P4P1P/1R2RBK1 w - - 2 22
Puzzle 11: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 40. Ne2.
Puzzle rating 1984
Hint
Theme: middlegame tactic
Show solution
40... Rg2+ 41. Rxg2 Rxg2+
FEN: 5kr1/1p2n1r1/p1p1b3/P2pPp2/1P1P1n2/2P2N2/2B1NK2/6RR b - - 13 40
Puzzle 12: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 38... Rdd7.
Puzzle rating 1998
Hint
Theme: quiet move, endgame tactic
Show solution
39. Ne8 Rd2+ 40. Rxd2
FEN: 6k1/3rrp1p/p1qN1Qp1/1pP5/1P6/P1P3P1/5K1P/3R4 w - - 8 39
Puzzle 13: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 21. exd5.
Puzzle rating 2004
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, fork, middlegame tactic
Show solution
21... Qxg4+ 22. Ke3 Qe4#
FEN: 7Q/pp2bkp1/5n1p/3Pp3/q5P1/2B2K1N/3P1P1P/4R3 b - - 0 21
Puzzle 14: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 23... Nxc6.
Puzzle rating 2012
Hint
Theme: deflection, intermezzo (zwischenzug), queenside attack
Show solution
24. Qa8+ Kc7 25. Rxc6+ Kd7 26. Qxb7+
FEN: 1k1r3r/1p3p1p/1bn2n2/5q2/Q7/6P1/1P2PPB1/R1R3K1 w - - 0 24
Puzzle 15: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 8. Qf3.
Puzzle rating 2025
Hint
Theme: interference, sacrifice, opening tactic
Show solution
8... Bxb5 9. Qxa8 Bc6 10. Qxa7 Bxg2
FEN: rn1qkb1r/p1pb1p1p/1p2pp2/1B6/3P4/4BQ2/PPP2PPP/R3K1NR b KQkq - 3 8
Puzzle 16: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 15... Nh5.
Puzzle rating 2036
Hint
Theme: pin, clearance, middlegame tactic
Show solution
16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. Qh6 f5 18. Qxh5
FEN: r2q1rk1/4bppp/p2p4/1pp1p1Bn/4P2P/P2P1P2/NPPQ1P2/2K3RR w - - 1 16
Puzzle 17: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 26. a5.
Puzzle rating 2046
Hint
Theme: discovered attack, attraction (decoy), sacrifice
Show solution
26... Rxh2+ 27. Kxh2 Bg1+ 28. Kxg1 Qxa6
FEN: 5rk1/2p3pp/Qbqp1p2/P7/1P2P1Pr/5P2/1B5P/R3R2K b - - 0 26
Puzzle 18: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 50. Ke5.
Puzzle rating 2061
Hint
Theme: bishop endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
50... Be4 51. Ba2 Kg6 52. Kf4 Kh5
FEN: 8/5k2/8/3pK1P1/3P3P/5b2/1p6/1B6 b - - 6 50
Puzzle 19: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 28. Nxe5.
Puzzle rating 2073
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Opera mate, sacrifice
Show solution
28... Qxh3+ 29. gxh3 Rxh3+ 30. Kg1 Rh1#
FEN: 5nk1/7p/1Q1P3r/4Np1q/1P2b1p1/1P2P2P/4BPPK/5R2 b - - 0 28
Puzzle 20: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 10. O-O.
Puzzle rating 2081
Hint
Theme: fork, interference, middlegame tactic
Show solution
10... e4 11. Bxf6 Nxf6 12. Nd2 exd3
FEN: r2qk2r/1p1nbppp/p2p1nb1/2pPp1B1/P1P5/2NBPN2/1P3PPP/R2Q1RK1 b kq - 4 10