Chess puzzles for Wednesday, 18 August 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. cxb4.
Puzzle rating 1287
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, smothered mate, pin
Show solution
16... Nxb4#
FEN: r4rk1/ppp2ppp/5b2/q2n1b2/1P1P1p2/PB3N2/KP2Q1PP/RNB4R b - - 0 16
Medium: Black to move and mate in 3
Black to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 50. Ke1.
Puzzle rating 1452
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, Pillsbury’s mate, exposed king
Show solution
50... Bc3+ 51. Kd1 Ne3+ 52. Kc1 Rf1#
FEN: RQ6/5p2/B1p3p1/5k1p/2Pbp1nP/6P1/5r2/4K3 b - - 4 50
Hard: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 66... Ke8.
Puzzle rating 2385
Hint
Theme: exposed king, advanced pawn, rook endgame
Show solution
67. g7 Ke7 68. Re3+ Kd6 69. Re2
FEN: 4k1K1/8/6P1/8/8/2R5/2p5/2r5 w - - 7 67