Daily Chess Puzzle #20: Arabian mate, Skewer, Attraction and Pin

Four puzzles, four patterns: the arabian mate, the skewer, the attraction and the pin. 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: Arabian mate (beginner, rated 953)

Black to play. White just played knight takes on g7. It wins a pawn, or so it seems. The white king on g1 is short of squares. The king is running out of squares. Can you find the winning check?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/02Mt2. It was rated 953 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Nxf3+ — Black: Knight takes on f3, check.
2. Kh1 — White: King to h1.
3. Rh2# — Black: Rook to h2, checkmate.

Knight takes on f3, check. The king cannot go to f2, because our rook on d2 controls that square. White has no choice. King to h1. And now, rook to h2, checkmate.

The pattern. This pattern is called the Arabian mate. If you were tempted by rook takes on a2, White answers bishop to c4, check and the chance is gone.

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Puzzle 2: Skewer (intermediate, rated 1383)

Black to play. White just played rook takes on d1. It wins a rook, or so it seems. And the white bishop on h5 has nothing defending it. Can you find the skewer?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/023NL. It was rated 1383 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Bxd1+ — Black: Bishop takes on d1, check.
2. Ke1 — White: King to e1.
3. Bxh5 — Black: Bishop takes on h5.

Bishop takes on d1, check. The king cannot go to d2, because our rook on d8 controls that square. White has to move the king. King to e1. Bishop takes on h5. That wins the bishop.

The pattern. A skewer. If you were tempted by rook takes on d1, White answers bishop takes on f7, check and the chance is gone.

Puzzle 3: Attraction (advanced, rated 2005)

White to play. Black has just played knight to d7. Take a moment to look at the whole board. There is a forcing sequence here, and it starts with a sacrifice.

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/03JMe. It was rated 2005 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Qd6+ — White: Queen to d6, check.
2. Kd8 — Black: King to d8.
3. Rc8+ — White: Rook to c8, check.
4. Kxc8 — Black: King takes on c8.
5. Qc7# — White: Queen to c7, checkmate.

Queen to d6, check. We offer the queen, and the king cannot take it, because our bishop on g3 protects it. The king must move. King to d8. Now, rook to c8, check. We offer the rook. Black’s only move is king takes on c8. And now, queen to c7, checkmate.

The pattern. Attraction, sometimes called a decoy. We give up material to pull the king or a piece onto a square where it will be hit.

Puzzle 4: Pin (master, rated 2792)

White to play. Black just played pawn to g6. It looks natural, but it leaves something behind. One piece cannot move without exposing another. Can you see which?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/0BU2d. It was rated 2792 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Qh3 — White: Queen to h3.
2. Kh7 — Black: King to h7.
3. Bd3 — White: Bishop to d3.
4. Nxe5 — Black: Knight takes on e5.
5. g5 — White: Pawn to g5.

Queen to h3. Black plays king to h7. Now, bishop to d3. Black takes. Knight takes on e5. Now, pawn to g5.

The pattern. A pin. If you were tempted by bishop takes on c4, Black answers pawn takes on c4 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:

• The Arabian mate, in 2 moves
• Rated 1383: the skewer
• Attraction that 2000s miss
• Find the pin in 3 seconds

Sources and disclosure

Puzzles 02Mt2, 023NL, 03JMe, 0BU2d from the Lichess open puzzle database (CC0). New puzzles every day on the RankUp Chess channel and on our videos page.