Chess puzzles for Tuesday, 15 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 28. Rxd6.
Puzzle rating 983
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, back-rank mate, X-ray attack
Show solution
28... Qxd1+ 29. Rxd1 Rxd1#
FEN: 3r2k1/pp4pp/2pR4/4Q1N1/2r3qP/8/PP6/K2R4 b - - 0 28
Medium: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 42... f3.
Puzzle rating 1422
Hint
Theme: rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
43. Rh2+ Ke1 44. Rxd2 Kxd2 45. Kxf3
FEN: 8/8/7p/3P4/4K3/5p2/P2r1k2/7R w - - 0 43
Hard: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 24... cxb6.
Puzzle rating 2185
Hint
Theme: fork, discovered check, double check
Show solution
25. Nxb6+ Kb8 26. Ned7+ Rxd7 27. Nxd7+ Ka8 28. Nxf6
FEN: 2kr1r2/pp5p/1p3qp1/4N3/P1N5/5P1P/5KP1/2R5 w - - 0 25