Chess960 puzzles: Clearance

Clear your own piece out of the way — with tempo — for the decisive blow.

Clearance is about your own piece standing in the way of the decisive blow — so you move it aside, or even throw it away. The key is to clear with tempo: jump off with a check, a capture or a threat, giving the opponent no time to regroup. The telltale sign: you see a crushing queen or rook move, but one of your own pieces blocks the line or occupies the square. Do not cling to it — a clearance sacrifice usually costs less than a missed attack.

634 puzzles

Discovered attack: bishop to h7

Shuffle Rating 681

Mate in 2: queen to d8 (d5)

Shuffle Rating 718

Discovered attack: bishop to h2

Shuffle Rating 750

Mate in 2: bishop to h3

Shuffle Rating 752

Fork: rook to e8

Shuffle Rating 758

Fork: bishop to g4

Shuffle Rating 821

Mate in 2: rook to c8 (c7)

Shuffle Rating 832

Discovered attack: bishop to f7 (c4)

Shuffle Rating 846

Mate in 2: rook to e1 (e6·2)

Shuffle Rating 850

Fork: bishop to g5

Shuffle Rating 877

Discovered attack: knight to e4

Shuffle Rating 896

Discovered attack: knight to f4

Shuffle Rating 899

Discovered attack: bishop to h7 (d3)

Shuffle Rating 904

Discovered attack: rook to c1

Shuffle Rating 918

Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h8 (h6)

Shuffle Rating 920

Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g5 (d2·3)

Shuffle Rating 920

Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a7 (f2·4)

Shuffle Rating 920

Winning blow: pawn to b6 (a5·2)

Shuffle Rating 920

Winning blow: knight to e6 (d4)

Shuffle Rating 920

Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h1 (h2)

Shuffle Rating 920

Winning blow: queen to e8 (e3)

Shuffle Rating 920

Winning blow: knight to d5 (c3·2)

Shuffle Rating 920

Winning blow: bishop to f5 (c2)

Shuffle Rating 920

Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (d4·101)

Shuffle Rating 920

Tactics