Chess puzzles for Monday, 12 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 28. Re1.
Puzzle rating 803
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, back-rank mate, fork
Show solution
28... Qxf2+ 29. Kh1 Qxe1#
FEN: Q6B/2r1kp2/2Pp4/p6p/P3n1pq/8/1P3PPP/4R1K1 b - - 6 28
Medium: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 22... Ng4.
Puzzle rating 1548
Hint
Theme: fork, attraction (decoy), sacrifice
Show solution
23. Qxg4 Qxg4 24. Nf6+ Kf8 25. Nxg4 Bxg2 26. Kxg2
FEN: r3r1k1/1bp2p2/1p4pp/p7/Pb2NPnq/1P1P4/2P1Q1BP/B2R1RK1 w - - 1 23
Hard: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 40... Rxb2+.
Puzzle rating 2090
Hint
Theme: pin, hanging piece, middlegame tactic
Show solution
41. Kxb2 Rf2+ 42. Qc2 Rxc2+ 43. Kxc2
FEN: 5rk1/7p/p2R2p1/1p2n1P1/2q1Q1P1/PBP5/Kr6/8 w - - 0 41