Chess puzzles for Sunday, 17 May 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 42... gxf5.
Puzzle rating 1111
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, epaulette mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
43. Qg7#
FEN: 7Q/5p1p/8/p4pkr/3P4/P5P1/3q2BP/7K w - - 0 43
Medium: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 16... b5.
Puzzle rating 1771
Hint
Theme: deflection, capturing the defender, middlegame tactic
Show solution
17. Qa5+ Kb7 18. Qxd8 Rxd8 19. Bxe7
FEN: rnbq3r/2k1nBb1/p2p4/1ppP2B1/Q1N1P3/2P5/PP5p/R4R1K w - - 0 17
Hard: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 22. Qe2.
Puzzle rating 2182
Hint
Show solution
22... Qxh1+ 23. Kd2 Rxd5+ 24. Kc2 Rd2+ 25. Qxd2 Qxc6
FEN: 1k6/p1p3p1/1bBr1p1r/3P4/4q2P/2P3P1/PP2QP2/R3K2R b KQ - 1 22