This puzzle is known as a ‘helpmate’. Black has to make the worst possible move, helping white to deliver checkmate on his next move!

So where will black move, and what will be white’s reply?

 

White to play – how many checkmates can you find?

 

Swap any two pieces around so that the black king is in checkmate.

It can be any 2 pieces (for instance the black rook on b8 for the white knight on e7. The resulting position must be legal (no pawns on 1st or 8th ranks) and it must be possible to reach that position by normal means.

 

In this maze white has to move the bishop consecutively until it captures the black king. It is not allowed to capture any black pieces and cannot move to squares that are attacked by black pieces. The bishop can capture the king in 9 moves – can you find your way through the maze?

 

In a “Triple Loyd” puzzle you will notice the black king is missing from the board. You have to place the black king in 3 different positions.

1)In the first position the black king is in checkmate

2)In the second position the black king is in stalemate

3)In the third position white can deliver checkmate in one move (and write down this move)!

 

In this queen maze white has to move the queen consecutively until it captures the black king. It is not allowed to capture any black pieces and cannot move to squares that are attacked by black pieces. The queen can capture the king in 7 moves – can you find your way through the maze?

 

In this position white is given 2 moves in a row to checkmate the black King (the first move cannot be a check). So make your two moves – black doesn’t get to reply!

 

Find the move that checkmates all 10 black kings !

 

In this position white is given 2 moves in a row to checkmate the black King (the first move cannot be a check). So make your two moves – black doesn’t get to reply!

 

This position contains a mistake – can you spot what it is? Hint: why should it be impossible to reach this position if the correct rules are followed?

 

The challenge here is to find mate in two moves for white! White plays first, black replies and then white checkmates with their 2nd move.

 

The challenge here is to find mate in two moves for white!

 

This puzzle is known as a Triple Loyd. ‘In a “Triple Loyd” have to place the black king in 3 different positions.

1) In checkmate

2) In stalemate

3) In a position where white can deliver checkmate in one move (and write down this move)!

 

This puzzle is known as a ‘helpmate’. Black has to make the worst possible move, helping white to deliver checkmate on his next move!

So where will black move, and what will be white’s reply?

 

This puzzle was created more than 1,000 years by Al-Adli – an Arab player and student of Shatranj, an ancient form of chess from Persia.

 

The task here is to checkmate black in three moves, white moves first, play continues as in normal chess.

 

In retrograde puzzles we have to try and reconstruct the moves that led to the position in the diagram – they don’t have to be good moves, just legal ones!

The task here is to reach this position precisely after black’s 4th move.

This puzzle is named after Sam Lloyd, an American chess player, chess composer, puzzle author, and recreational mathematician. Often cited as America’s greatest puzzle writer and populariser. In a “Triple Loyd” puzzle you will notice the black king is missing from the board. You have to place the black king in 3 different positions: