Chess puzzles for Monday, 4 January 2027
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 46... g5.
Puzzle rating 809
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, knight endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
47. Ne7#
FEN: 8/8/2N1pp2/1P3kpp/2nP4/5KP1/8/8 w - - 0 47
Medium: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 41... Qd5.
Puzzle rating 1409
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, queen endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
42. Qf4#
FEN: 8/1p6/p4pp1/3q2kp/1Q6/P5PP/6PK/8 w - - 6 42
Hard: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 8... Bb4+.
Puzzle rating 2360
Hint
Theme: trapped piece, defensive move, middlegame tactic
Show solution
9. Ke2 Qxa1 10. Bxa1
FEN: rnb1k2r/pp3ppp/4pn2/3pB3/1b6/4PN1P/PqP2PP1/RN1QKB1R w KQkq - 2 9