Chess puzzles for 2000–2200 rated players
Puzzles rated 1950–2400, the right difficulty for Expert players (Expert / Candidate Master track (2000–2199)).
Which puzzles should a 2000–2200 player solve?
Puzzles rated about 1950–2400, 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 2000–2200.
Puzzle 1: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 28... Rfd8.
Puzzle rating 1951
Hint
Theme: trapped piece, endgame tactic
Show solution
29. R4c2 Qxc1+ 30. Rxc1
FEN: r2r2k1/5pp1/1p2p2p/p7/2Rp4/P2Q2P1/1q3P1P/2R3K1 w - - 1 29
Puzzle 2: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 62... f4.
Puzzle rating 1982
Hint
Show solution
63. R3g5+ Kd4 64. Rd6+ Ke3 65. Re6+ Kf3 66. Rxe2 Kxe2 67. Rxg2+
FEN: 8/8/6R1/4k3/P4p2/1K4R1/4q1p1/8 w - - 0 63
Puzzle 3: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 43... Ke5.
Puzzle rating 2039
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, endgame tactic
Show solution
44. Bd4#
FEN: 8/3Q4/7p/2B1k1p1/1p2nq2/7P/6P1/7K w - - 9 44
Puzzle 4: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 58... f2.
Puzzle rating 2070
Hint
Theme: queen endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
59. Qxf2+ Kh3 60. Kf4 Qc1+ 61. Qe3+ Qxe3+ 62. Kxe3
FEN: 8/P7/7p/8/6p1/1P2K1k1/2Q2p2/7q w - - 0 59
Puzzle 5: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 33. Ne5.
Puzzle rating 2087
Hint
Theme: hanging piece, middlegame tactic
Show solution
33... Qxe5 34. Rbe1 Re4 35. Rxe4 Qxe4 36. Qxe4 Rxe4
FEN: 1b2r1k1/1p4p1/p2q4/3PN3/5r1p/P6P/1P3PQ1/1R4RK b - - 12 33
Puzzle 6: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 51. fxg6+.
Puzzle rating 2104
Hint
Theme: advanced pawn, queen endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
51... Qxg6 52. gxh4 Qd6+ 53. g3 d2
FEN: 8/5p1k/6P1/8/6qp/3pQ1P1/6PK/8 b - - 0 51
Puzzle 7: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 26... Qxf8.
Puzzle rating 2114
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, hook mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
27. Nf6+ Ke7 28. Rxd7#
FEN: 2r1kq2/pR1b1p1N/4p1p1/3pP3/8/2R5/6PP/7K w - - 0 27
Puzzle 8: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 37... Kf8.
Puzzle rating 2126
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, sacrifice, middlegame tactic
Show solution
38. Ng6+ Bxg6 39. Qh8#
FEN: 5k2/5r2/2p4p/2p1Q3/3pb2N/8/Prq2PPP/4R1K1 w - - 14 38
Puzzle 9: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 45... b4.
Puzzle rating 2138
Hint
Theme: quiet move, defensive move, zugzwang
Show solution
46. a4 bxa3 47. bxa3 a5 48. a4
FEN: 8/6p1/p4kP1/5p1P/1p3K2/8/PP6/8 w - - 0 46
Puzzle 10: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 36... Kxe8.
Puzzle rating 2148
Hint
Theme: exposed king, endgame tactic
Show solution
37. Rh8+ Kf7 38. Qa2+ Ke7 39. Bxc5+
FEN: 3rk3/6p1/6p1/2p5/p2Bp3/P4q2/3Q1P2/5K1R w - - 0 37
Puzzle 11: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 58. Bd5.
Puzzle rating 2154
Hint
Theme: defensive move, bishop endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
58... Bd3 59. Bc6 c4
FEN: 8/6k1/4KpP1/p1pB1P2/8/P7/2b5/8 b - - 23 58
Puzzle 12: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 25. Nf4.
Puzzle rating 2169
Hint
Theme: skewer, sacrifice, kingside attack
Show solution
25... Rxg3+ 26. hxg3 Qh1+ 27. Kf2 Qh2+ 28. Ke1 Qxc2
FEN: r5k1/pp4pp/6r1/1P1PP3/3PpN2/4PbPq/2Q4P/R4RK1 b - - 2 25
Puzzle 13: White to move and mate in 5
White to move and mate in 5. The opponent just played 23... Bd7.
Puzzle rating 2183
Hint
Theme: discovered attack, discovered check, attraction (decoy)
Show solution
24. Rxf7+ Kxf7 25. Bg6+ Kf6 26. Bh5+ Ke7 27. Qh7+ Qg7 28. Qxg7#
FEN: r2r4/1p1bkp2/p1p1p2Q/2P1q1p1/8/6P1/PPB3PP/5R1K w - - 3 24
Puzzle 14: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 23... f5.
Puzzle rating 2186
Hint
Theme: interference, middlegame tactic
Show solution
24. Qe5 Rg8 25. d5 Kc8 26. Qxe6+
FEN: 5b1r/r1pk3p/p3p1p1/5p2/2qP1Q2/2P5/PP3RPP/4R2K w - - 0 24
Puzzle 15: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 39... Qd7.
Puzzle rating 2202
Hint
Theme: deflection, exposed king, queenside attack
Show solution
40. Ra8+ Kb7 41. Rb8+ Rxb8 42. Qxd7+
FEN: 2kr1r2/3q2p1/1pp1Q3/2b1B3/1p2P1P1/5B1p/2P4P/R6K w - - 7 40
Puzzle 16: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 15... cxd5.
Puzzle rating 2216
Hint
Theme: discovered check, double check, kingside attack
Show solution
16. Nxd5 Nxg5 17. Nxe7+ Kh8 18. Qxg5
FEN: r1bq1rk1/pp2nnbp/3p4/3p2B1/2B1P1p1/2N3P1/PPPQ3P/R4RK1 w - - 0 16
Puzzle 17: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 22. Ne4.
Puzzle rating 2221
Hint
Theme: fork, middlegame tactic
Show solution
22... f5 23. Nf6+ Nxf6
FEN: 4rrk1/ppqn1p1p/2p3p1/3b4/4N1Q1/2PB2P1/PP3P1P/R3R1K1 b - - 3 22
Puzzle 18: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 40. Ka4.
Puzzle rating 2234
Hint
Theme: zugzwang, pawn endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
40... Ka6 41. Ka3 Ka5 42. b4+ cxb4+
FEN: 8/p5p1/1k4p1/2p2p2/K1P2P2/1P4PP/8/8 b - - 2 40
Puzzle 19: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 57... Rg7.
Puzzle rating 2252
Hint
Theme: defensive move, rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
58. Rh8+ Rh7 59. Rxh7+ Kxh7 60. Ke4 Kg8 61. Kd5
FEN: R7/6r1/5ppk/7p/5P1P/5KP1/8/8 w - - 6 58
Puzzle 20: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 44... h3.
Puzzle rating 2278
Hint
Show solution
45. gxh3+ Kh5 46. Qg8
FEN: 8/1pp5/3p2k1/3P4/2q5/7p/r5P1/4R1QK w - - 0 45