Chess puzzles for Wednesday, 22 September 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 52. Rxe3.
Puzzle rating 722
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, Pillsbury’s mate, endgame tactic
Show solution
52... Rd1+ 53. Re1 Rxe1#
FEN: 8/2p5/6k1/P4Rp1/5bP1/2P1Rp2/3r1P2/6K1 b - - 0 52
Medium: White to move and mate in 3
White to move and mate in 3. The opponent just played 39... Ka6.
Puzzle rating 1716
Hint
Theme: mate in 3, endgame tactic
Show solution
40. Qc6+ Ka5 41. b4+ Ka4 42. Qa6#
FEN: 8/p1Q5/k2p4/1p6/3P1K2/2P2Rr1/PP4r1/4q3 w - - 4 40
Hard: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 29... Qd3.
Puzzle rating 2253
Hint
Theme: queenside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
30. Re8+ Rxe8 31. Rxe8+ Kd7 32. Qxd3 Nxd3 33. Rxb8
FEN: 1nk4r/p1p1R2p/1p1p4/2nQ1p2/P1P5/3q4/6PP/4R1K1 w - - 2 30