Daily Chess Puzzle #15: Mate in three, Rook fork, Queen fork and Sacrifice

Four puzzles, four patterns: the mate in three, the rook fork, the queen fork and the sacrifice. Each position below comes from a real game in the open Lichess database and is engine-verified. Set the position up, give yourself the same few seconds the video does, and only then read the solution. Best for players rated about 900 to 2800.

Puzzle 1: Mate in three (beginner, rated 904)

White to play. Black has just played rook takes on b4. It wins a bishop, or so it seems. The black king on g8 is short of squares. Can you see the check that starts it all?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/00QHM. It was rated 904 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Rc8+ — White: Rook to c8, check.
2. Bd8 — Black: Bishop to d8.
3. Rxd8+ — White: Rook takes on d8, check.
4. Rf8 — Black: Rook to f8.
5. Rxf8# — White: Rook takes on f8, checkmate.

Rook to c8, check. The king cannot go to f8, because our rook on c8 controls that square. Black defends with bishop to d8. Rook takes on d8, check. The king cannot go to f8, because our rook on d8 controls that square. Black’s only move is rook to f8. Rook takes on f8, checkmate.

The pattern. A mate in three. Every move is a check, so the opponent never gets a free move to defend.

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Puzzle 2: Rook fork (intermediate, rated 1330)

White to play. Black has just played queen to d6. Notice the black king on g8 and the black queen on d6, close together. The strongest move here is a quiet one. What is it?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/02N0A. It was rated 1330 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. g6 — White: Pawn to g6.
2. fxg6 — Black: Pawn takes on g6.
3. Rxg6+ — White: Rook takes on g6, check.
4. Qxg6 — Black: Queen takes on g6.
5. Qxg6+ — White: Queen takes on g6, check.

Pawn to g6. Black takes. Pawn takes on g6. Rook takes on g6, check. The rook attacks the king on g8 and the queen on d6 at the same time. Black takes back. Queen takes on g6. Queen takes on g6, check. The queen attacks the king on g8 and the rook on e8 at the same time.

The pattern. We come out a piece and a pawn ahead. A rook fork. The rook lands on a line where two loose pieces sit, or gives check while attacking a second piece.

Puzzle 3: Queen fork (advanced, rated 2215)

Black to play. White has just played rook to e1. And the white rook on e1 has nothing defending it. The strongest move here is a quiet one. What is it?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/0220F. It was rated 2215 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Qh4 — Black: Queen to h4.
2. h3 — White: Pawn to h3.
3. Qf2+ — Black: Queen to f2, check.
4. Kh1 — White: King to h1.
5. Qxe1 — Black: Queen takes on e1.

Queen to h4. White plays pawn to h3. Queen to f2, check. We offer the queen, and the king cannot take it, because our knight on g4 protects it. So White has just one move: king to h1. Queen takes on e1. That wins the rook.

The pattern. A queen fork. The queen attacks two undefended targets at once, often with check, and only one of them can be saved.

Puzzle 4: Sacrifice (master, rated 2740)

White to play. Black has just played pawn to d6. It looks natural, but it leaves something behind. Would you give up your knight here? There is a reason to.

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/0Dgqx. It was rated 2740 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Nf6+ — White: Knight to f6, check.
2. gxf6 — Black: Pawn takes on f6.
3. Bxf6 — White: Bishop takes on f6.
4. Qd7 — Black: Queen to d7.
5. h3 — White: Pawn to h3.

Knight to f6, check. We offer the knight. Black accepts. Pawn takes on f6. Bishop takes on f6. That wins the pawn. Black tries queen to d7. Pawn to h3.

The pattern. A sacrifice is not a gift. We give up material because what comes next is worth more: a mate, a winning attack, or the material back with interest.

One puzzle at a time

Each puzzle is also a one-minute Short if you want to try one on the phone:

• Paper Fold - Mate in three that 900s miss
• Starship - Rook fork that 1300s miss
• Castle - Queen fork that 2200s miss
• Fossil Dig - Sacrifice that 2700s miss

Sources and disclosure

Puzzles 00QHM, 02N0A, 0220F, 0Dgqx from the Lichess open puzzle database (CC0). New puzzles every day on the RankUp Chess channel and on our videos page.