Daily Chess Puzzle #18: Mate in two, Pin, Quiet move and Deflection

Four puzzles, four patterns: the mate in two, the pin, the quiet move and the deflection. 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 1000 to 2500.

Puzzle 1: Mate in two (beginner, rated 1075)

White to play. Black just played pawn takes on f6. It wins a knight, or so it seems. The black king on e8 is short of squares. Can you find the checkmate?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/00Ydr. It was rated 1075 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Bh5+ — White: Bishop to h5, check.
2. Bg6 — Black: Bishop to g6.
3. Bxg6# — White: Bishop takes on g6, checkmate.

Bishop to h5, check. The king cannot go to e7, because our pawn on d6 controls that square. So Black has just one move: bishop to g6. Bishop takes on g6, checkmate.

The pattern. A mate in two. The first move takes away the escape, the second delivers mate, and the reply in between is forced.

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Puzzle 2: Pin (intermediate, rated 1438)

White to play. Black just played queen to f6. Notice the black king on g8 and the black queen on f6, close together. Can you find the pin?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/00M1q. It was rated 1438 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Qh7+ — White: Queen to h7, check.
2. Kf7 — Black: King to f7.
3. Rf3 — White: Rook to f3.
4. Qxf3 — Black: Queen takes on f3.
5. gxf3 — White: Pawn takes on f3.

Queen to h7, check. We offer the queen, and the king cannot take it, because our rook on h3 protects it. Black has to move the king. King to f7. Rook to f3. Black takes. Queen takes on f3. Now, pawn takes on f3. That wins the queen.

The pattern. A pin. The pinned piece cannot move without exposing something more valuable behind it, so it is really out of the game.

Puzzle 3: Quiet move (advanced, rated 2055)

White to play. Black has just played rook takes on e4. It wins a pawn, or so it seems. No check and no capture, but one move wins. Can you find it?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/03r91. It was rated 2055 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Bg5 — White: Bishop to g5.
2. Qe5 — Black: Queen to e5.
3. Bf6 — White: Bishop to f6.
4. Qxf6 — Black: Queen takes on f6.
5. Rxf6 — White: Rook takes on f6.

Bishop to g5. Black plays queen to e5. Bishop to f6. Black takes. Queen takes on f6. Rook takes on f6. That wins the queen.

The pattern. A quiet move. If you were tempted by bishop takes on e4, Black answers queen takes on e4, check and the chance is gone.

Puzzle 4: Deflection (master, rated 2458)

Black to play. White has just played king to c4. It looks safe. It is not. One defender is doing all the work. Can you find the move that drags it away?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/08J9l. It was rated 2458 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Re4+ — Black: Rook to e4, check.
2. Kc5 — White: King to c5.
3. Rc2+ — Black: Rook to c2, check.
4. Kd5 — White: King to d5.
5. Rxb4 — Black: Rook takes on b4.

Rook to e4, check. The king cannot go to d4, because our rook on e4 controls that square. White has to move the king. King to c5. Rook to c2, check. The king cannot go to c4, because our rook on c2 controls that square. White steps out of check. King to d5. Now, rook takes on b4. That wins the rook.

The pattern. Deflection. If you were tempted by rook to c2, check, White answers king to d5 and the chance is gone.

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 two that 1100s miss
• Starship - Pin that 1400s miss
• Castle - Quiet move that 2100s miss
• Fossil Dig - Deflection that 2500s miss

Sources and disclosure

Puzzles 00Ydr, 00M1q, 03r91, 08J9l from the Lichess open puzzle database (CC0). New puzzles every day on the RankUp Chess channel and on our videos page.