Chess puzzles for Wednesday, 28 July 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 1
Black to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 16. bxc3.
Puzzle rating 773
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, queenside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
16... Bxa3#
FEN: r3k2r/5p1p/2p1pp2/3p1b2/1b1P4/P1P1P3/3N1PPP/2KR1B1R b kq - 0 16
Medium: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 22... Kh8.
Puzzle rating 1796
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, attraction (decoy), sacrifice
Show solution
23. Rxh7+ Kxh7 24. Qd3+ Re4 25. Qh3+ Rh4 26. Qxh4#
FEN: 4r2k/1bpp1Bpp/p7/1p6/8/7R/PqPQ1PPP/6K1 w - - 1 23
Hard: White to move and mate in 4
White to move and mate in 4. The opponent just played 27... Qxa2.
Puzzle rating 2659
Hint
Theme: mate in 4, back-rank mate, fork
Show solution
28. Qg4+ f5 29. Qxf5+ Kb8 30. Qf8+ Rxf8 31. exf8=Q#
FEN: 2k3r1/bpp1Pp1r/3p3p/pP2p2Q/P3P3/7N/q5P1/2BR3K w - - 0 28