Chess puzzles for Thursday, 12 November 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 19. hxg4.
Puzzle rating 728
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, epaulette mate, discovered check
Show solution
19... Nxf3#
FEN: r3k2r/bpp1q1np/p4p2/P2pn3/1P4P1/2P2NN1/3B1P2/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 0 19
Medium: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 20... gxf6.
Puzzle rating 1530
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, middlegame tactic
Show solution
21. Qg4+ Bg7 22. Qe6+ Kf8 23. Nd7#
FEN: r4bkr/p1p4p/1p3p2/2qPN3/8/5Q2/P4PPP/5RK1 w - - 0 21
Hard: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 24. Kb1.
Puzzle rating 2104
Hint
Theme: quiet move, middlegame tactic
Show solution
24... Ra8 25. Qe8+ Rxe8
FEN: 4r1k1/5pbp/4b1p1/1Q4B1/7P/qPP2N2/2P2PP1/1K1R4 b - - 1 24