Chess Puzzles
Play and learn how the pros handle complex chess positions. These interactive chess puzzles help you to get better at chess, improve your concentration and learn some new tricks. Most of the positions occurred during famous games between Grandmasters and demonstrate tactical ideas encountered in actual play – no computer analysis here. Careful study of these positions will help you improve your skill in finding good moves and combinations in actual games. You will also learn a great deal about the planning and execution of combinational chess.
Click on any puzzle for details. From there you can solve the puzzle online or select its FEN string and, if you have the full version of SparkChess, paste it in the Board Editor to play from that position. All puzzles have solutions (hidden by default). Don’t forget to comment if you found an alternate (or better) solution!
Use the links on the side (or at the bottom on mobile devices) to see more puzzles. They are sorted in levels to allow everyone to improve their skills.
Chess puzzles are best for when you are idle and bored. They provide a good way to pass time and also improve your concentration, even if you are a beginner or Olympiad master. Learning how to solve these puzzles will improve the knowledge of beginning chess principles – seeing the right move in a position that your opponent overlooked. Our collection of interesting chess positions for online play or trainer mode is unique in that it includes mistakes that were made by top players. Everyone makes mistakes, and studying these common errors is a great way to learn about what not to do!
Judit Polgar vs. Hakan Winfridson
A nice online chess puzzle, a game from Judit Polgar vs. Hakan Windridson. White to move and win in 3.
![diagram of Joseph Blackburn vs. Adolf Anderssen chess puzzle](https://www.sparkchess.com/cms/media/fen/74ee0699345d94af1f86ab9e47c05f67.png)
Joseph Blackburn vs. Adolf Anderssen
Try online a chess puzzle from Joseph Blackburne vs. Adolf Anderssen, Vienna, 1873. White wins in 3.
![diagram of Alexander Alekhine vs. Samuil Weinstein chess puzzle](https://www.sparkchess.com/cms/media/fen/3416c30e0e7c73c6953efc5e5e4a3ceb.png)
Alexander Alekhine vs. Samuil Weinstein
Do your best to solve online this chess puzzle from Alexander Alekhine vs Samuil Weinstein. White to move and win in 3.
![diagram of Viacheslav Ragozin vs. Mihkail Botvinnik chess puzzle](https://www.sparkchess.com/cms/media/fen/33628a31b7d223b38c0311257a7549ea.png)
Viacheslav Ragozin vs. Mihkail Botvinnik
Black to move and win in 3 in this online chess puzzle from Viacheslav Ragozin vs Mikhail Botvinnik, URSS, 1936.
![diagram of Viktor Korchnoi vs. Lev Polugaevsky chess puzzle](https://www.sparkchess.com/cms/media/fen/e3d34ff37f1426e7c310d04683d349cb.png)
Viktor Korchnoi vs. Lev Polugaevsky
Would you like to solve this puzzle from Viktor Korchnoi vs Lev Polugaevsky? White to move and mate in 3. Play it on line.
Paul Morphy vs. Duke of Brunswick
Try online this brilliant chess puzzle that took place at the Paris Opera, during a show with Norma by Vicenzo Bellini. White to move and win in 2.
Paul Keres vs. Tigran Petrosian
This chess puzzle is complex! Black to move and win in 5. Can you find the right sequence in this chess puzzle?
Robert Thacker vs. Bobby Fischer
A beautiful example of underpromotion in this chess puzzle from grand master Robert Fischer. Black to move and mate in 2.