Chess puzzles for Monday, 8 March 2027
Three new puzzles every day: easy, medium and hard. Try each one before you open the solution.
Easy: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 27. Kh1.
Puzzle rating 1214
Hint
Theme: sacrifice, endgame tactic
Show solution
27... Rxh3+ 28. gxh3 Qf3+
FEN: 5r1k/pp4pp/3p4/7r/4R3/1QP4P/PP3qP1/3R3K b - - 1 27
Medium: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 22. Rxa6.
Puzzle rating 1642
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, back-rank mate, sacrifice
Show solution
22... Qxc1+ 23. Bxc1 Re1#
FEN: 3rr1k1/5ppp/R4n2/1p6/3P4/4BQ2/Pq3PPP/2R3K1 b - - 0 22
Hard: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 31. axb3.
Puzzle rating 2032
Hint
Theme: attraction (decoy), sacrifice, middlegame tactic
Show solution
31... Rxc3+ 32. Kxc3 Qd4+ 33. Kc2 Rc8+
FEN: 4r3/pp4k1/3p2P1/4p1Q1/q3P1p1/1PPr2P1/2K3B1/R6R b - - 0 31