Chess puzzles for Saturday, 9 January 2027
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 22. Ne1.
Puzzle rating 713
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, back-rank mate, X-ray attack
Show solution
22... Qxe1+ 23. Rxe1 Rxe1#
FEN: r3r1k1/ppp2ppp/2p5/8/1R2R3/5Q2/P4PPP/q3N1K1 b - - 2 22
Medium: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 19. Nxe7.
Puzzle rating 1628
Hint
Theme: intermezzo (zwischenzug), hanging piece, middlegame tactic
Show solution
19... gxh4 20. Rh3 Qxe7
FEN: r4r2/1ppqNp1k/p2p1n1p/4p1p1/P3P2N/2PP2R1/2Q2PPP/R5K1 b - - 0 19
Hard: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 34. Kxf1.
Puzzle rating 2151
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, endgame tactic
Show solution
34... Qb1+ 35. Ke2 Qd1#
FEN: 3r2k1/6pp/Q3R3/2p5/2P1q3/4P2P/5PP1/5K2 b - - 0 34