Chess puzzles for Tuesday, 3 March 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 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 19... Kf8.
Puzzle rating 747
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, sacrifice, middlegame tactic
Show solution
20. Qh8+ Nxh8 21. Rxh8#
FEN: r1q2k2/ppp2ppQ/3n2n1/3Nr3/8/7R/PPP2PPP/R5K1 w - - 15 20
Medium: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 30. Kf1.
Puzzle rating 1860
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Pillsbury’s mate, exposed king
Show solution
30... Bd3+ 31. Ke1 Nf3+ 32. Kd1 Rg1#
FEN: 8/2R2NBk/p1n5/6P1/4b2n/1P2P2P/6r1/R4K2 b - - 3 30
Hard: Black to move and mate in 5
Black to move and mate in 5. The opponent just played 24. Rxa8.
Puzzle rating 2386
Hint
Theme: attraction (decoy), sacrifice, promotion
Show solution
24... Bh2+ 25. Kxh2 g1=Q+ 26. Kxg1 Qg7+ 27. Bg6 Qxg6+ 28. Bg5 Qxg5+ 29. Kh2 Qg2#
FEN: R5nq/p1p5/2pb4/k6p/8/1QPB3b/PP3Pp1/R1B3K1 b - - 0 24