Chess puzzles for Friday, 13 February 2026
Three new puzzles every day: easy, medium and hard. Try each one before you open the solution.
Easy: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 17... Nxd5.
Puzzle rating 712
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, middlegame tactic
Show solution
18. Bh5#
FEN: r2qk2r/2pb4/p1n4p/1p1n2p1/3Pp3/B1P5/PQ2BPPP/R3K2R w KQkq - 0 18
Medium: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 8... Nf6.
Puzzle rating 1440
Hint
Theme: discovered attack, deflection, attacking f2/f7
Show solution
9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. Qxd8
FEN: rnbqkb1r/1p3ppp/p4n2/3B4/8/2p2N2/PP3PPP/RNBQ1RK1 w kq - 1 9
Hard: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 20. Bf3.
Puzzle rating 2010
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, sacrifice, middlegame tactic
Show solution
20... Rxd4+ 21. cxd4 Bb4#
FEN: 3r1b1r/pp4pk/2p1p2p/5b2/3Pq3/2P2BP1/PP1K3P/R1BQ3R b - - 4 20