Chess puzzles for Thursday, 3 September 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 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 21. Be5.
Puzzle rating 1218
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, middlegame tactic
Show solution
21... Qd3+ 22. Kc1 Qc2#
FEN: r5kr/pppb4/1P2pQ1p/4B1p1/1n6/q3P3/3KNPPP/3R1B1R b - - 5 21
Medium: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 42. bxa6.
Puzzle rating 1551
Hint
Theme: attraction (decoy), sacrifice, promotion
Show solution
42... Rh1+ 43. Kxh1 Re1+ 44. Kh2 d1=Q
FEN: 4r2k/6p1/P6p/8/8/2PQ1P1P/3p2PK/3r4 b - - 0 42
Hard: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 18... Be6.
Puzzle rating 2282
Hint
Theme: trapped piece, middlegame tactic
Show solution
19. d4 e4 20. Nd1 exf3 21. Nxf2
FEN: r4nk1/pp4rp/2ppb3/4pp2/2P2P2/2NP1N2/PP1QBqPP/6RK w - - 2 19