Chess puzzles for Monday, 13 April 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 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 37. Ne4.
Puzzle rating 957
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, knight endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
37... h5#
FEN: 8/pp5p/2p3k1/2Pn2p1/1P2NpK1/P4P1P/6P1/8 b - - 2 37
Medium: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 30... Nxf4+.
Puzzle rating 1422
Hint
Theme: sacrifice, middlegame tactic
Show solution
31. Rxf4 Rxf4 32. Qa8+ Qd8 33. Qxd8+ Bxd8 34. gxf4
FEN: 5r1k/p1b3pp/1p6/1PpQp1q1/2Pp1n2/P2P2P1/2N1R1K1/5R2 w - - 0 31
Hard: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 20... exf5.
Puzzle rating 2223
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Opera mate, sacrifice
Show solution
21. Qxe8+ Nxe8 22. Rd8#
FEN: 2k1rb1r/1bp3q1/pp3n2/4QpB1/2P5/2N5/PP4PP/3R1RK1 w - - 0 21