Chess puzzles for Tuesday, 19 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 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 22... Nxd3.
Puzzle rating 1085
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, middlegame tactic
Show solution
23. Qf7+ Kd8 24. Nxe6#
FEN: 2r1kb1r/1Q4pp/p3p3/1p3pN1/8/PPqn4/2P1K1PP/R6R w k - 0 23
Medium: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 38... Kf6.
Puzzle rating 1445
Hint
Theme: rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
39. Rxb6 Rxb6+ 40. Kxb6
FEN: 1R6/8/1p2rk2/pKp3p1/6Pp/P6P/1P6/8 w - - 6 39
Hard: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 26. Rc4.
Puzzle rating 2313
Hint
Theme: fork, middlegame tactic
Show solution
26... b5 27. Rxd4 bxa4 28. Rg4+ Bg6
FEN: 4r1k1/pp3p1b/2p2p1B/4q2P/Q1Rr4/8/PP2B1P1/5RK1 b - - 3 26