Exercises
Positions to solve on the board, with a hint and a solution.
The fork that wins the queen
Level:BeginnerLook for the square where the knight attacks the king and the queen at once. Check that it is defended there before you jump.
- fourchette
- cavalier
- tactique
Not startedIn progress Solved
The queen fork
Level:BeginnerTwo black pieces are defended by nobody. Find a square from which your queen looks at both of them — and where she is safe herself.
- fourchette
- dame
- tactique
Not startedIn progress Solved
The pawn fork
Level:BeginnerA pawn captures diagonally, left and right. Are those two black knights really out of range?
- fourchette
- pion
- tactique
Not startedIn progress Solved
The king-and-rook fork
Level:BeginnerThe same shape as the royal fork, for a smaller prize. Find the knight square that touches both black pieces at once.
- fourchette
- cavalier
- tactique
Not startedIn progress Solved
The royal fork
Level:BeginnerA knight jumps in an L. Find the square from which one jump would touch both the king and the queen: the king must answer, and the queen will still be sitting there.
- fourchette
- cavalier
- tactique
Not startedIn progress Solved
Mate in 2 — the king has one square
Level:BeginnerBefore you check, count the squares the king can go to. The knight already covers two. If only one is left, look at what is waiting for him there.
- mat
- echec
- cavalier
- dame
Not startedIn progress Solved
Mate in 1 — queen supported by her king
Level:BeginnerYour king already covers the squares in front of the black king. One rank is left to occupy, and the queen must get there without being taken.
- mat
- dame
- finale
Not startedIn progress Solved
Mate in 1 — the last step of the ladder
Level:BeginnerOne rook already holds the seventh rank, so the king cannot come down. The other rook has just one step left.
- mat
- escalier
- tour
- finale
Not startedIn progress Solved
Mate in 1 — the two bishops
Level:BeginnerOne bishop already covers the king's escape square. The other has to give check on the second diagonal — and only one square does it.
- mat
- fous
- diagonale
Not startedIn progress Solved
The back-rank mate
Level:BeginnerThe black king is shut in by its own pawns. Only the back rank is left to it — take it.
- mat
- couloir
- tour
Not startedIn progress Solved
Mate in 1 — the corridor
Level:BeginnerLook at Black's three pawns. They shelter their king and, at the same time, they shut him in. Which rank has he got left?
- mat
- couloir
- tour
Not startedIn progress Solved
Opposition, then mate
Level:BeginnerThe rook cannot mate yet: the black king has two squares. Walk your king up to leave it only one, then mate.
- mat
- finale
- opposition
Not startedIn progress Solved
Attraction: the king comes to you
Level:IntermediateYour knight is dreaming of a square where it would check the king and attack the queen at once. That square only works if the king is somewhere else — so move him.
- attraction
- sacrifice
- fourchette
- cavalier
Not startedIn progress Solved
The absolute pin, and what it pays
Level:IntermediateThe black knight looks like it is defending something. Check the diagonal behind it before you believe that.
- clouage
- tactique
- fou
Not startedIn progress Solved
Attacking a pinned piece
Level:IntermediateA pinned piece cannot run away. So it is not a piece to grab straight off — it is a target to attack one more time.
- clouage
- pion
- tactique
Not startedIn progress Solved
The discovered attack
Level:IntermediateYour rook and the black king are on the same file, with just one piece between them — yours. Where should it go so that leaving is worth something?
- decouverte
- cavalier
- tour
- tactique
Not startedIn progress Solved
The double check
Level:IntermediateAgainst a double check you can neither capture nor block: the king simply has to move. Find the square where your knight gives check as well — and see what else it attacks from there.
- decouverte
- echec-double
- cavalier
- tactique
Not startedIn progress Solved
Deflection in the endgame
Level:IntermediateThe black king is sitting on the promotion square. He will not leave of his own accord — but he cannot refuse a check.
- deviation
- finale
- pion
- tour
Not startedIn progress Solved
The skewer without check
Level:IntermediateNo check here — it is the value of the pieces that does the work. Line your bishop up on the queen, and look at what stands behind her.
- enfilade
- fou
- tactique
Not startedIn progress Solved
The skewer: king in front, queen behind
Level:IntermediateThe king and the queen stand on the same file. Check the king: he has to move, and he cannot take the queen with him.
- enfilade
- tour
- tactique
Not startedIn progress Solved
Mate in 2 — draw the rook in
Level:IntermediateThe black king is already nearly shut in by his pawns. One square is left — and his own rook can come and block it, if you make it.
- mat
- attraction
- sacrifice
- cavalier
- etouffe
Not startedIn progress Solved
Mate in 2 — pull the guard away
Level:IntermediateBlack's rook holds the whole back rank. The bishop cannot replace it — a bishop does not watch a rank. Make them swap jobs.
- mat
- deviation
- couloir
- sacrifice
Not startedIn progress Solved
Mate in 2 — give up the queen
Level:IntermediateBlack's rook guards the back rank. It can only guard one thing at a time — make it capture something.
- mat
- sacrifice
- couloir
- tour
Not startedIn progress Solved
The overloaded defender
Level:IntermediateBlack's rook has two jobs: defend the bishop and guard the back rank. Ask it to do both at once.
- surcharge
- mat
- couloir
- tour
Not startedIn progress Solved