Chess puzzles for Sunday, 22 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 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 50... h5.
Puzzle rating 749
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, bishop endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
51. Bf6#
FEN: 8/6B1/8/5b1p/2p4k/2P4P/7K/8 w - - 0 51
Medium: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 30. Qb1.
Puzzle rating 1570
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, back-rank mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
30... Qxb1+ 31. Bxb1 Rf1#
FEN: 5rk1/1p4p1/3Np2p/p1PpB3/P2P3b/3B4/6PP/qQ5K b - - 10 30
Hard: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 40. Qc2.
Puzzle rating 2340
Hint
Theme: queen endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
40... Qb5+ 41. Kd2 Qf1 42. Qc7 Qxf2+
FEN: 8/5p1k/6p1/2qpp2p/1p5P/1P1KP1P1/P1Q2P2/8 b - - 1 40