Chess puzzles for Thursday, 26 November 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 18... Rxg8.
Puzzle rating 921
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, middlegame tactic
Show solution
19. Nf7#
FEN: r5rk/1bp3pp/pbq2N2/np2p1N1/8/1BPP3P/PP3PP1/R1B1R1K1 w - - 0 19
Medium: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 49... Kd3.
Puzzle rating 1449
Hint
Theme: skewer, queen endgame, endgame tactic
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50. Qb5+ Ke4 51. Qxf1
FEN: 4Q3/8/8/2K4p/8/3k3P/8/5q2 w - - 2 50
Hard: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 25... Kg7.
Puzzle rating 2038
Hint
Theme: pin, intermezzo (zwischenzug), sacrifice
Show solution
26. Qd4+ Qe5 27. Nxd6 Qxd4 28. Nxe8+ Bxe8 29. cxd4
FEN: 4rb2/2pbq1k1/p2p2pp/1p3p2/4N3/1BPQ4/PP3PPP/4RK2 w - - 2 26