Chess puzzles for Saturday, 10 January 2026
Three new puzzles every day: easy, medium and hard. Try each one before you open the solution.
Easy: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 44. Kd3.
Puzzle rating 1236
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Pillsbury’s mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
44... Rd1+ 45. Rd2 Rdxd2#
FEN: 8/pR6/3Nk3/3pP3/3b4/3K4/PPR3r1/6r1 b - - 5 44
Medium: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 32... Rxd6.
Puzzle rating 1511
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, back-rank mate, X-ray attack
Show solution
33. Qc8+ Bd8 34. Qxd8+ Rxd8 35. Rxd8#
FEN: 6k1/1p3ppp/p2r3q/P3p1b1/2P1PnQ1/1P3P2/2B2P2/3R2K1 w - - 0 33
Hard: Black to move and mate in 4
Black to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 17. dxe6.
Puzzle rating 2375
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, fork, deflection
Show solution
17... Ng3+ 18. Nxg3 Bxg2+ 19. Kxg2 Qxg3+ 20. Kh1 Qxh3#
FEN: rn2k2r/1bq2pp1/p3P3/1pb2P1n/7p/PBN4P/1PP1N1P1/R1BQ1R1K b kq - 0 17