Daily Chess Puzzle #7: Opera mate, Zugzwang and Hanging piece

Three puzzles, three patterns: the opera mate, the zugzwang and the hanging piece. 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 five seconds the video does, and only then read the solution. Best for players rated about 900 to 2100.

Puzzle 1: Opera mate (beginner, rated 996)

White to play. Black just played king takes on h7. It wins a queen, or so it seems. The king is running out of squares. Can you find the winning check?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/00nZE. It was rated 996 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Rh3+ — White: Rook to h3, check.
2. Kg8 — Black: King to g8.
3. Rh8# — White: Rook to h8, checkmate.

Rook to h3, check. The king cannot go to h6, because our rook on h3 controls that square. Black has no choice. King to g8. And now, rook to h8, checkmate.

The pattern. The opera mate. A rook on the back rank, protected by a bishop on the long diagonal, and the king’s own pawn blocking the escape. Rook and bishop, working on two lines at once. If you were tempted by bishop takes on e5, Black answers knight takes on e5 and the chance is gone.

Want more like this? RankUp Chess has 5,000 rated puzzles like these, sorted by level and theme, with hints and lessons, fully offline. Pay once, no subscription.

Puzzle 2: Zugzwang (intermediate, rated 1392)

Black to play. White has just played king takes on a4. It wins a pawn, or so it seems. No checks, no captures. Can you find the move that leaves White with nothing good to play?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/00m6L. It was rated 1392 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Kb6 — Black: King to b6.
2. Ka3 — White: King to a3.
3. Kb5 — Black: King to b5.
4. Ka2 — White: King to a2.
5. Ka4 — Black: King to a4.

King to b6. White defends with king to a3. And now, king to b5. White plays king to a2. King to a4.

The pattern. Zugzwang. Every move your opponent has makes their position worse, and they have to move. In the endgame, having no good move is as bad as being attacked.

Puzzle 3: Hanging piece (advanced, rated 2097)

Black to play. White just played rook from 8 to c5. And the white queen on g8 has nothing defending it. There is a capture that your opponent cannot answer. Can you find it?

Play it on Lichess before reading on: lichess.org/training/03uA2. It was rated 2097 in the Lichess database we took it from; ratings there shift a little as people solve it.

Solution

1. Rxg8 — Black: Rook takes on g8.
2. Rd1+ — White: Rook to d1, check.
3. Qd6 — Black: Queen to d6.
4. Rxd6+ — White: Rook takes on d6, check.
5. Kxd6 — Black: King takes on d6.

Rook takes on g8. That wins the queen. White plays rook to d1, check. Queen to d6. We offer the queen. White takes. Rook takes on d6, check. And now, king takes on d6. That wins the rook.

The pattern. We come out a rook ahead. A hanging piece: undefended, and free to take. Before every move, look at every piece on the board once and ask whether it is protected. If you were tempted by rook takes on c5, White answers rook to d1, check and the chance is gone.

One puzzle at a time

Each puzzle is also a 60-second Short if you want to try one on the phone:

• Opera mate that 1000s miss
• Zugzwang that 1400s miss
• Hanging piece that 2100s miss

Sources and disclosure

Puzzles 00nZE, 00m6L, 03uA2 from the Lichess open puzzle database (CC0). New puzzles every day on the RankUp Chess channel and on our videos page.