Chess puzzles for Saturday, 25 December 2027
Three new puzzles every day: easy, medium and hard. Try each one before you open the solution.
Easy: White to move and mate in 2
White to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 20... b6.
Puzzle rating 1014
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, queenside attack, middlegame tactic
Show solution
21. Qa6+ Kb8 22. Qb7#
FEN: 2kr3r/p1pb4/1pnqp2p/1QN2pp1/3P4/2P5/PP4BP/2K2RR1 w - - 0 21
Medium: White to move and mate in 5
White to move and mate in 5. The opponent just played 22... Qg4.
Puzzle rating 1772
Hint
Theme: pin, sacrifice, kingside attack
Show solution
23. Qh7+ Kf8 24. Bb4+ c5 25. Bxc5+ Re7 26. Qh8+ Nxh8 27. Rxh8#
FEN: r3r1k1/ppp2pp1/6n1/6PQ/3p2q1/P3n1P1/1PPB3R/R5K1 w - - 9 23
Hard: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 39... Kh4.
Puzzle rating 2403
Hint
Theme: queen endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
40. Qxh7+ Qh5 41. Qxh5+ Kxh5 42. d4
FEN: 8/5Q1p/8/p1pp2p1/6qk/P2P4/1PP4K/8 w - - 2 40