If you know how the pieces move but struggle to find a good move, start with small tasks: capture an undefended piece, spot a mate or answer a check safely. These six positions are available on this page without an account or a clock.
The boards are diagrams rather than draggable games. Write down your move or picture it before opening the hint or solution. These are composed teaching positions designed to isolate an idea, not records of real games or a rating test.
Six positions to observe, calculate and check
Show hint for puzzle 1
Follow c4–d5–e6 and check who defends the rook.
Annotated position
1. Find a safe capture
White to move. Which piece can you win without losing your bishop? Trace its diagonal before moving.
Show solution and explanation
Bxe6 wins the rook on e6. The bishop passes through the empty d5 square, and neither a pawn nor the black king can recapture it on e6. Seeing a capture is only the first step: always check the destination square.
Show hint for puzzle 2
White’s pawns block f2, g2 and h2. Look for a rook check along the first rank.
Annotated position
2. Finish the game in one move
Black to move. Find checkmate in one. Examine every escape square around the white king.
Show solution and explanation
...Rd1 is checkmate. The rook controls f1 and h1, while White’s own pawns occupy f2, g2 and h2. White cannot capture the rook or block the check. This is a back-rank mate: count every exit, not just the king’s current square.
Show hint for puzzle 3
From f7, the knight attacks h8 and d8. Can the queen stop that check?
Annotated position
3. Attack two targets
White to move. Find a knight jump that checks the king and attacks the queen at the same time.
Show solution and explanation
Nf7+ attacks the king on h8 and the queen on d8. Black must move the king to g8; Nxd8 then wins the queen. The queen cannot capture the knight or block its check: a knight jumps. Check both targets before choosing the move.
Show hint for puzzle 4
Look down the e-file: the black king is behind the knight and the white rook is in front of it.
Annotated position
4. Check whether the defender can move
White to move. The rook on c8 appears to be defended by the knight on e7. Can your bishop capture it?
Show solution and explanation
Bxc8 wins the rook. ...Nxc8 would be illegal: moving away from e7 would expose the king on e8 to the white rook. This is an absolute pin. The knight attacks c8 geometrically but cannot legally make that capture. Winning the rook is the exercise’s objective; this is not a claim that it is the only winning move.
Show hint for puzzle 5
The king can capture on g2 only if no other black piece attacks that square.
Annotated position
5. Answer the check without losing material
White to move, in check. Before running away, check whether you can capture the attacking piece.
Show solution and explanation
Kxg2 removes the rook and ends the check. The king on h8 and the pawns on g7 and h7 do not attack g2, so the capture is legal. Other moves escape the check, but this one wins the rook. When checked, compare capturing, blocking and moving the king.
Show hint for puzzle 6
The c8 square is empty. A pawn reaching the final rank must become a queen, rook, bishop or knight.
Annotated position
6. Use the advanced pawn
White to move. Turn the pawn on c7 into the most valuable piece, then check that the black king cannot capture it.
Show solution and explanation
c8=Q promotes to a queen. The king on h7 is too far away to capture it, and Black has no immediate capture on c8. Here the queen gives White a decisive advantage. This is not a universal rule: in other endings, check for stalemate or a useful knight promotion.
Keep practising with Rush64 Chess
If you enjoy solving positions, explore Rush64 Chess puzzles, short rounds and solution reviews. See the app on the download page before installing it.
Explore and download Rush64 Chess →For Android and iPhone. Free download, with ads and in-app purchases. These six exercises are a web-only resource.How to solve a chess puzzle as a beginner
First check whose turn it is and whether that side is in check. If so, every legal move must answer it. Then look for checks, captures and threats. In these exercises, find one short idea and check that the opponent cannot refute it.
Before opening the answer, write down a move and a reason: “I win the rook because it cannot be recaptured” is more useful than guessing a square. If you are stuck, use the hint and look again. Finding an answer with help is still useful practice.
- Identify the side to move.
- Find a concrete threat or capture.
- Check the opponent’s strongest reply.
- Explain what changes after your move.
How to read the solutions and board coordinates
Files run from a to h, left to right; ranks run from 1 to 8, from White towards Black. The square c4 is where file c meets rank 4. Every diagram has White at the bottom, even when Black is to move.
In English notation, K means king, Q queen, R rook, B bishop and N knight. An x means capture, + means check and # means checkmate. Bxe6 means a bishop captures on e6. c8=Q means the pawn promotes to a queen. An ellipsis before a move means it is Black’s move.
What to review after a mistake
If your capture failed, find the piece defending the destination square. If you confused check with mate, list the king’s escapes and ways to capture or block the checker. If you missed the fork, mark the two targets a single knight could attack.
Repeat the exercises you could not explain. In another session, change the order and hide the hints. Remembering a square does not yet show that you would recognize the pattern in a different game.
A short session to repeat tomorrow
Try two minutes of observation, six minutes solving two or three positions and two minutes reviewing your reasons. Ten minutes is a suggestion, not a requirement: solve fewer puzzles if you need longer. Finish each example understanding why it works.
Once these positions feel easy, mix different themes. A real game does not tell you to look for a pin. Combine tactical practice with games and reviewing mistakes; puzzles alone do not cover every chess decision.
Questions about beginner chess puzzles
Do I need an account?
No. All six diagrams, hints and solutions are free on this page. You do not need to download the app to do these exercises.
What should I know before starting?
How the pieces move and what being in check means. Coordinates and solution symbols are explained below the exercises.
Can I move the pieces on these boards?
These are static diagrams. Calculate mentally, write down your move or set up a physical board. The app offers practice with movable pieces; these six examples belong to the web guide.
How many puzzles should I solve each day?
Start with two or three you can review without rushing. Repeat those you cannot explain and add more while you can still concentrate. This collection does not measure your rating or guarantee improvement.
Next step: recognize the idea in another position
Continue with the tactical patterns guide to distinguish pins, forks and skewers. If you struggle to decide where to start, use the position-analysis method.