Daily Chess Puzzle #22: Mate in three, Quiet move, Exposed king and Clearance sacrifice

Four puzzles, four patterns: the mate in three, the quiet move, the exposed king and the clearance 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 700 to 2800.

Puzzle 1: Mate in three (beginner, rated 766)

Black to play. White has just played rook takes on d7. It wins a knight, or so it seems. There is a check here that changes everything. Can you find it?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/01Dtr. It was rated 766 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Qb1+ — Black: Queen to b1, check.
2. Bc1 — White: Bishop to c1.
3. Qxc1+ — Black: Queen takes on c1, check.
4. Rd1 — White: Rook to d1.
5. Qxd1# — Black: Queen takes on d1, checkmate.

Queen to b1, check. The king cannot go to f1, because our queen on b1 controls that square. White defends with bishop to c1. Queen takes on c1, check. The queen attacks the king on g1 and the knight on g5 at the same time. White has no choice. Rook to d1. And now, queen takes on d1, 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: Quiet move (intermediate, rated 1587)

Black to play. White has just played bishop takes on b8. It wins a rook, 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/02cha. It was rated 1587 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Rc2 — Black: Rook to c2.
2. Qxc2 — White: Queen takes on c2.
3. Qxc2 — Black: Queen takes on c2.

Rook to c2. White takes. Queen takes on c2. Queen takes on c2. That wins the queen.

The pattern. A quiet move. No check, no capture, and yet it is the strongest move on the board because of the threat it creates.

Puzzle 3: Exposed king (advanced, rated 2263)

White to play. Black has just played knight to e5. It looks natural, but it leaves something behind. The winning move gives up material. Can you see why it works?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/033zG. It was rated 2263 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Rb7+ — White: Rook to b7, check.
2. Qxb7 — Black: Queen takes on b7.
3. Rxb7+ — White: Rook takes on b7, check.
4. Nxb7 — Black: Knight takes on b7.
5. Bxd5 — White: Bishop takes on d5.

Rook to b7, check. We offer the rook, and the king cannot take it, because our rook on g7 protects it. Black accepts. Queen takes on b7. Rook takes on b7, check. The king cannot go to a7, because our rook on b7 controls that square. Black takes back. Knight takes on b7. Bishop takes on d5. That wins the rook.

The pattern. An exposed king. If you were tempted by rook takes on d6, Black answers rook takes on d6 and the chance is gone.

Puzzle 4: Clearance sacrifice (master, rated 2740)

Black to play. White just played knight to f6, check. Notice the white king on f2 and the white queen on d3, close together. Something can be taken here. Can you see what, and why?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/07fJe. It was rated 2740 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Bxf6 — Black: Bishop takes on f6.
2. Bxf6 — White: Bishop takes on f6.
3. Bc4 — Black: Bishop to c4.
4. Qxd4 — White: Queen takes on d4.
5. Re4 — Black: Rook to e4.

Bishop takes on f6. White takes back. Bishop takes on f6. Now, bishop to c4. White takes. Queen takes on d4. Rook to e4.

The pattern. A clearance sacrifice. A piece gets out of the way, with check or with a threat, so that another piece can use the square or the line it leaves behind.

One puzzle at a time

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

• Mate in three that 800s miss
• Find the quiet move in 3 seconds
• From a real 10-minute game: the exposed king
• Rated 2740: the clearance sacrifice

Sources and disclosure

Puzzles 01Dtr, 02cha, 033zG, 07fJe from the Lichess open puzzle database (CC0). New puzzles every day on the RankUp Chess channel and on our videos page.