Daily Chess Puzzle #28: Hook mate, Queen fork, Zugzwang and Pin

Four puzzles, four patterns: the hook mate, the queen fork, the zugzwang 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 700 to 2600.

Puzzle 1: Hook mate (beginner, rated 763)

White to play. Black has just played rook takes on f8. It wins a queen, or so it seems. The black king on g8 is short of squares. Can you find the checkmate?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/00HzH. It was rated 763 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Rxf8+ — White: Rook takes on f8, check.
2. Kh7 — Black: King to h7.
3. Rh8# — White: Rook to h8, checkmate.

Rook takes on f8, check. The king cannot go to f7, because our rook on f8 controls that square. Black’s only move is king to h7. Rook to h8, checkmate.

The pattern. A hook mate. If you were tempted by knight takes on f8, Black answers queen to c7 and the chance is gone.

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Puzzle 2: Queen fork (intermediate, rated 1641)

Black to play. White has just played queen takes on d5. It wins a pawn, or so it seems. Can you see the square that attacks two pieces at the same time?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/01qSx. It was rated 1641 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Qxd5 — Black: Queen takes on d5.
2. Bxd5 — White: Bishop takes on d5.
3. Rd4 — Black: Rook to d4.
4. Bxb7 — White: Bishop takes on b7.
5. Bxb7 — Black: Bishop takes on b7.

Queen takes on d5. The queen attacks the knight on d2 and the bishop on b3 at the same time. White takes back. Bishop takes on d5. Now, rook to d4. The rook attacks the knight on d2 and the bishop on d5 at the same time. White takes. Bishop takes on b7. Now, bishop takes on b7. That wins the bishop.

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 3: Zugzwang (advanced, rated 2026)

White to play. Black just played king to f6. It looks natural, but it leaves something behind. No checks, no captures. Can you find the move that leaves Black with nothing good to play?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/040Co. It was rated 2026 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Ke4 — White: King to e4.
2. h5 — Black: Pawn to h5.
3. gxh5 — White: Pawn takes on h5.
4. g4 — Black: Pawn to g4.
5. h6 — White: Pawn to h6.

King to e4. Black defends with pawn to h5. Now, pawn takes on h5. That wins the pawn. Black tries pawn to g4. Pawn to h6.

The pattern. We come out a pawn ahead. Zugzwang. Every move your opponent has makes their position worse, and they have to move.

Puzzle 4: Pin (master, rated 2507)

White to play. Black just played knight to c4. Notice the black king on e8 and the black queen on c5, close together. Can you find the pin?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/010rQ. It was rated 2507 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Qf2 — White: Queen to f2.
2. e5 — Black: Pawn to e5.
3. Ne6 — White: Knight to e6.
4. Qxf2+ — Black: Queen takes on f2, check.
5. Kxf2 — White: King takes on f2.

Queen to f2. Black plays pawn to e5. And now, knight to e6. We offer the knight. Black takes. Queen takes on f2, check. And now, king takes on f2. 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.

One puzzle at a time

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

• Hook mate that 800s miss
• Find the queen fork in 3 seconds
• From a real 5-minute game: the zugzwang
• Rated 2507: the pin

Sources and disclosure

Puzzles 00HzH, 01qSx, 040Co, 010rQ from the Lichess open puzzle database (CC0). New puzzles every day on the RankUp Chess channel and on our videos page.