Open in the app

Chess960 puzzles: Simplification

Trade the heavy pieces and steer into a won endgame.

Simplification is how you convert an advantage: by trading queens and rooks you extinguish the counterplay and steer the game into a won endgame. The rule is simple — the side with extra material trades pieces but keeps pawns. Look for exchanges once the material is already won and your opponent is still rattling threats. The mistake is avoiding the queen trade and letting him muddy the water forever.

401 puzzles

Fork: knight to f7
Shuffle Rating 919
Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e3 (c2·2)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: queen to g4 (e2)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: queen to c4 (f4·2)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: queen to e5 (e4·2)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: king to f1 (g1·5)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: queen to e7 (h4·3)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: bishop to d6 (e5)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: bishop to c7 (f4)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: queen to h5 (h4)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: queen to e7 (h4·4)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: king to h1 (h2)
Shuffle Rating 920
Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c4 (c5)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: queen to h5 (h3)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: queen to d8 (a5)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: rook to c8 (e8)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: queen to c4 (c2)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: queen to d3 (f5)
Shuffle Rating 920
Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e6 (f5·18)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: queen to f6 (b2·3)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: queen to f5 (f2)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: queen to h4 (f2·2)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: queen to b4 (b7)
Shuffle Rating 920
Winning blow: queen to c3 (c4)
Shuffle Rating 920

Defence