Chess960 puzzles: Deflection
Deflection: force the defender to abandon its post.
All themesMate in 1: find the move after which the enemy king has no escape.Mate in 2: the first move creates an unstoppable threat, the second delivers mate.Mate in 3: a forced sequence that ends in checkmate.Fork: one piece attacks two targets at once — they can't both be saved.Pin: a piece can't move without exposing something more valuable behind it.Skewer: a valuable piece is forced to move, exposing the one behind it.Discovered attack: one piece steps aside, unleashing another's attack.Double attack: one move creates two threats at once.Deflection: force the defender to abandon its post.Hanging piece: your opponent left a piece undefended — take it.Back rank: the king is trapped behind its own pawns — use that.Trapped piece: an enemy piece has no safe squares — catch it.Save the piece: one of your pieces is attacked — find the best way to rescue it.Winning tactic: there is a move that gains a decisive advantage — find it.Mate: a forcing sequence that ends the game — the king has no escape.Mate in 4: a forced checkmate in four moves — every reply is covered.Castling 960: the strongest move is to castle — drag the king onto its rook.Uncastled king: the enemy king is stuck in the centre — punish it before it castles.A piece strikes across the board from its Chess960 starting square.An opening trap from this Chess960 starting position.A fork made possible by the Chess960 piece placement.Chess960 twist: use the unusual starting setup of the pieces.
218 puzzles
Fork: queen to a4 (d7)
Deflection: queen to c5
Mate in 2: deflection on f7
Mate in 2: deflection on g5 (g4·3)
Fork: bishop to f2 (c5·4)
Deflection: knight to e3
Deflection: pawn to h2
Deflection: rook to c8
Deflection: rook to f4
Deflection: pawn to d7
Deflection: queen to g3
Mate in 2: deflection on h8
Skewer: queen to a3 (e3)
Deflection: rook to b4
Deflection: king to e7
Mate in 2: deflection on f8
Deflection: pawn to b7
Mate in 3: double attack on b6
Deflection: queen to d6 (f8)
Mate in 2: deflection on h3 (g5)
Mate in 2: deflection on f3
Fork: queen to d3 (e3·2)
Deflection: knight to h3
Deflection: bishop to h7