Puzzles

Knight Fork

A knight can attack two pieces at once. Find the check that also hits the rook.

Royal Fork

Fork the king and the queen with a knight check.

Queen Fork

The queen attacks in eight directions. Use a check to hit a loose rook too.

Pin the Queen

A piece pinned to its king cannot legally move off the line. Pin the queen and win it.

Attack the Pinned Piece

A pinned piece is a sitting duck. Attack it with something cheaper.

Bishop Skewer

A skewer is a reversed pin: attack the valuable piece first, then take what stands behind it.

Rook Skewer: Win the Queen

King and queen on the same rank? Check the king and collect the queen.

Discovered Attack

Move one piece with a threat, and uncover an attack from the piece behind it.

Discovered Check

Move the knight to reveal a bishop check, and attack the queen with the same move.

Back Rank Mate

The king is shut in by its own pawns. Checkmate on the back rank.

Doubled Rooks Break Through

Two rooks on one file beat a single defender. Overload the back rank.

Remove the Defender

If a piece is the only guard of a key square, eliminate it.

Smothered Mate

Philidor's Legacy: checks, a queen sacrifice, and a knight mate against a king trapped by its own pieces.