Panorama 8A — Rook Invasion on the Second Rank
Black has active rooks while White is trying to keep the heavy pieces coordinated. Find the precise way to use the open file.
Panorama Szachowa nr 390, zestaw 8A/2026 · Black to move
Start the task →Move Forge chess tasks
Choose a daily position, read its context, and try to meet the task condition before checking engine guidance.
From Amateur to Master — A Promotion With a Twist
White’s pawn is one step from promotion. A queen looks like the obvious choice, but Black has a concrete defensive resource. Check which promoted piece works best with the rest of the position.
Od amatora do mistrza, zadania · White to move
Start the task →Panorama 8B — The Passed Pawn in an Endgame
White has a passed pawn and an active rook, but the black king may try to stop them. Find a way for pawn and rook to work together in restricting the defence.
Panorama Szachowa nr 390, zestaw 8B/2026 · White to move
Start the task →Warmerdam–Maurizzi 2026 — Heavy Pieces on the Attack
White’s heavy pieces have penetrated very deeply and Black’s king has little room. Apparently natural exchanges could become extremely unpleasant for Black.
Warmerdam – Maurizzi · 2026 · Wijk aan Zee 2026 · White to move
Start the task →Panorama 8A — A Knight With a Hidden Threat
Black to move. White’s pieces are active, but not all of them are equally well defended. Look for a tactical move where the knight does not need to capture anything immediately.
Panorama Szachowa nr 390, zestaw 8A/2026 · Black to move
Start the task →From Amateur to Master — A Strong Endgame Knight
The pawn structure is uneven and the kings are getting closer to the action. White can use the knight to improve the whole position. Look for a plan rather than a one-move trick.
Od amatora do mistrza, zadania · White to move
Start the task →Panorama 8B — Active Rook Against the King
Black can arrange the heavy pieces so White has no time for a comfortable defence. Look for moves that maintain the initiative rather than simply counting pawn captures.
Panorama Szachowa nr 390, zestaw 8B/2026 · Black to move
Start the task →Bluebaum–Giri 2026 — Turn the Tables on the Queen
Black is putting serious pressure on the kingside, and the queen looks dangerous. White does not have to defend passively, though. Find the move that changes the character of the position.
M. Bluebaum – A. Giri · 2026 · Wijk aan Zee 2026 · White to move
Start the task →Panorama 8A — Pressure on the Heavy Pieces
White must respect Black’s active queen. At the same time, White’s heavy pieces can exploit the alignment of two black rooks. Calculate the exchanges to the end.
Panorama Szachowa nr 390, zestaw 8A/2026 · White to move
Start the task →From Amateur to Master — Pawn and Bishop Geometry
White’s material situation is less comfortable than it first appears, but active pieces and advanced pawns create concrete chances. Do not restrict your search to checks.
Od amatora do mistrza, zadania · White to move
Start the task →Panorama 8B — The Knight Opens the Attack
White has strong pieces near the kingside, but Black can still defend actively. Find a continuation that brings several pieces into the same attack.
Panorama Szachowa nr 390, zestaw 8B/2026 · White to move
Start the task →Bluebaum–Sindarov 2026 — A Knight With Tempo
Black to move. White’s queen is active and the rooks pressure the open files. Check whether a single knight jump can leave the entire defence with an awkward choice.
M. Bluebaum – Sindarov · 2026 · Wijk aan Zee 2026 · Black to move
Start the task →Panorama 8A — A Rook-Led King Attack
Black has defensive pieces around the king, but White’s heavy pieces can join the attack very quickly. Calculate the king’s reply to the first check as well.
Panorama Szachowa nr 390, zestaw 8A/2026 · White to move
Start the task →Erigaisi–Praggnanandhaa 2026 — Queen Takes Charge
White has active heavy pieces, but Black is still creating threats against the king. Find a way to seize the initiative without wasting a tempo.
Erigaisi – Praggnanandhaa · 2026 · Wijk aan Zee 2026 · White to move
Start the task →Hellers–Piket 1985 — A Sacrificial Mate in 4
White's knight and queen are close to Black's king, but mate does not look immediate. This position is all about piece coordination and the exact order of checks. Calculate the full sequence before launching the attack.
Ferdinand Hellers – Jeroen Piket · 1985 · Amsterdam, 1985 · White to move
Start the task →Dorfman–Hellers 1990 — Calculate Before Recapturing
White has active heavy pieces, but the king is not completely safe. Black's knight can start a sequence of exchanges in which a single check makes all the difference. Calculate what actually remains on the board after three moves.
Josif Dorfman – Ferdinand Hellers · 1990 · Amsterdam, 1990 · Black to move
Start the task →Knezevic–Kasparov 1979 — Precise Mate in 3
White's king is in the centre but has a queen and bishops nearby. Black has a dangerous pawn close to promotion. One check is not enough: calculate what happens if White tries to block the attack.
Milorad Knežević – Garry Kasparov · 1979 · Banja Luka, 1979 · Black to move
Start the task →Xie Jun–Tazhieva 1994 — Exploit the Piece Placement
A position from the Moscow Chess Olympiad. Black has an active queen and coordinated pieces, but the king is under pressure. White can combine several moves with tempo and emerge from the exchanges with a major gain. Calculate the opponent's replies before making your first move.
Xie Jun – Lyazzat Tazhieva · 1994 · Chess Olympiad, Moscow 1994 · White to move
Start the task →Sacrifice the Rook and Take the Queen
Black's king is boxed in by its own pieces, while the queen is defending an important square on the back rank. White can use this setup to force one specific recapture and only then collect the material.
Training position — queen deflection · White to move
Start the task →Pawn Race — Find the Drawing Route
Black's pawn is very close to promotion while White's king is on the other side of the board. Chasing the pawn in a straight line looks hopeless. There is a way for the king to head toward two objectives at the same time.
Training position — pawn race · White to move
Start the task →Three vs Three — Find the Breakthrough
Both sides have three pawns and the kings are far away from the action. At first glance the position looks perfectly symmetrical. White has one move that forces Black to choose which pawn will be allowed through.
Training position — pawn breakthrough · White to move
Start the task →Mate in 2 — Punish the Greed
White has just given up the queen and Black happily took it. Materially it looks like a disaster, but the black king is still stuck in the centre and White's pieces are perfectly placed for a short attack. Calculate two moves to the finish.
Training position — mate after accepting the queen sacrifice · White to move
Start the task →Larsen–Spassky 1970 — An Attack That Drives the Pawn Home
White's h3-pawn has just attacked the knight on g4. Retreating the piece looks natural, but Black has a much stronger plan. Find the way to open lines around the king and carry the attack through the next six moves.
Bent Larsen – Boris Spassky · 1970 · USSR vs Rest of the World, Belgrade 1970 · Black to move
Start the task →Fischer–Benko 1963 — Open the Road to the King
White's queen and bishop are aimed at the black king, but Black is relying on ...f5 as a defensive resource. White needs a concrete idea that removes this option and keeps the attack alive. Find the plan for the next three moves.
Bobby Fischer – Pal Benko · 1963 · U.S. Championship, New York 1963/64 · White to move
Start the task →Levitsky–Marshall 1912 — An Unstoppable Combination
White has an active queen and rook, but the king is poorly protected and Black's pieces are already very close. One precise move creates several problems at once. Calculate White's replies and find the continuation that keeps the attack winning against every response.
Stepan Levitsky – Frank James Marshall · 1912 · DSB Congress, Breslau 1912 · Black to move
Start the task →Karpov–Csom 1977 — Attack from a Lost Position
White is down material and only moments earlier the position was lost. Black's knight has just returned to f8 and everything appears to be under control. Karpov found one move that completely turns the game around. Find the idea and calculate Black's possible replies.
Anatoly Karpov – Istvan Csom · 1977 · Bad Lauterberg, 1977 · White to move
Start the task →Tal–Timman 1972 — A Winning Middlegame Combination
White has active pieces around Black's king, but the black knight has just landed on e5 and appears well placed. Tal found a concrete combination that completely changes the balance of the position. Calculate several moves ahead and look for a way to exploit the activity of White's knights and Black's exposed pieces.
Mikhail Tal – Jan Timman · 1972 · 20th Chess Olympiad, Final A, Skopje 1972 · White to move
Start the task →Middlegame — Trap the Pieces and Take Over
White to move. Black's two bishops have penetrated deep into White's position and look dangerous, but their placement also has a serious drawback. Find the plan that restricts the enemy pieces, gains tempo and lets White take over the initiative.
Training position — middlegame · White to move
Start the task →Mate in 3 — Find the Right Move Order
Nine pieces and three moves to finish the game. This training position is all about getting the move order right. Before making your first move, check Black's reply and try to picture the final position.
Training position — Damiano's mate pattern · White to move
Start the task →Ding–Carlsen 2020 — Breaking Open the King
White to move. Black's king still has a pawn shield and there is no immediate checkmate in sight. White's pieces are extremely active around the king, however. Find the way to break open the king's shelter and launch the decisive attack.
Ding Liren – Magnus Carlsen · 2020 · Magnus Carlsen Invitational, 2020 · White to move
Start the task →Bernstein–Capablanca 1914 — Back-Rank Tactics
Black to move. The position looks fairly quiet, but the placement of White's rook, queen and king creates the opportunity for a powerful tactical shot. Find the move that creates multiple threats at once and leaves White without a comfortable defence.
Ossip Bernstein – José Raúl Capablanca · 1914 · Moscow, 1914 · Black to move
Start the task →The Opera Game — Morphy's Finish in 2
White to move in the final position of Paul Morphy's famous Opera Game. Black's king is stuck in the centre while most of the defending pieces remain poorly placed. White needs only two accurate moves to finish the game. Find the forcing sequence.
Paul Morphy – Duke of Brunswick & Count Isouard · 1858 · Opera Game, Paris 1858 · White to move
Start the task →Réti–Tartakower 1910 — A Beautiful Mate in 3
Black's king is still stuck in the centre while White's pieces are highly active. The position still looks like an opening, but White can finish the game in only three moves. Find the forcing sequence and calculate both possible king escapes.
Richard Réti – Savielly Tartakower · 1910 · Vienna, 1910 · White to move
Start the task →Schulder–Boden 1853 — A Beautiful Mate in 2
Black to move. White's king appears to have plenty of defenders, but the placement of Black's two bishops creates the possibility of a very quick finish. Find the forcing sequence that leads to checkmate in two moves.
R. Schulder – Samuel Boden · 1853 · Friendly game, London 1853 · Black to move
Start the task →Mate in 3 — A Classic King Attack
Only a few pieces remain, but Black's king is heavily restricted by its own pieces. White's knight, rook and queen are ideally placed for an attack. Find the short forcing sequence that takes advantage of the king's lack of escape squares.
Classic mating pattern: Anastasia's mate · White to move
Start the task →Tissir–Dreev 2004 — The Knight Takes Over
Black to move. White's pieces look active, but the queen and rook are placed in a way that can be exploited. Look for a move with tempo and calculate where the knight can land after White responds to the check.
Mohamed Tissir – Alexey Dreev · 2004 · FIDE World Chess Championship, Tripoli 2004 · Black to move
Start the task →Greek Gift — The Classic Bishop Sacrifice
Black's king appears safe after castling, but there is a serious weakness in the defensive setup. White has a bishop aimed at h7, a knight ready to join the attack and a queen that can quickly enter the kingside. Find the way to open the king's position and carry the attack through to the end.
1619 · Gioachino Greco — classic Greek Gift pattern, 1619 · White to move
Start the task →Evans–Reshevsky — Save the Draw
White appears completely lost: only a rook and a few blocked pawns remain against Black's huge material advantage. Resignation looks natural, but the position contains a remarkable defensive resource. Do not try to win — find a way to make it impossible for Black to win.
Larry Evans – Samuel Reshevsky · 1963 · U.S. Championship 1963/64, New York · White to move
Start the task →Torre–Lasker 1925 — Middlegame Combination
A position from Carlos Torre Repetto–Emanuel Lasker, Moscow 1925. White's pieces are actively placed around the black king, but converting their potential requires a precise sequence. Find the best plan and maintain a clear advantage for the next 5 moves.
Carlos Torre Repetto – Emanuel Lasker · 1925 · Moscow, 1925 · White to move
Start the task →Saavedra Study — Win the Seemingly Drawn Endgame
Only four pieces remain: king and pawn against king and rook. The pawn is very close to promotion, but Black's active rook has several defensive tricks. Find the precise plan that allows White to win this endgame.
1895 · Saavedra Study, Glasgow Weekly Citizen, 1895 · White to move
Start the task →Smothered Mate — Find the Winning Sequence
White's knight is already very close to the black king, which has almost no space to move. This is a classic exercise in recognizing a mating pattern. Find the forcing sequence and use the fact that Black's own pieces restrict their king.
Classic pattern: smothered mate · White to move
Start the task →Lucena Position — Win the Rook Endgame
The classic Lucena position. White has a pawn on the seventh rank, but promotion is not automatic: the white king blocks the promotion square while Black's rook is ready to give repeated checks. Find the plan that lets the king escape the checks and safely guide the pawn to promotion.
Lucena Position — classic rook endgame · White to move
Start the task →Botvinnik–Capablanca 1938 — Middlegame Combination
A position from one of Botvinnik's most famous games. White has a dangerous passed pawn on e6 and active pieces, but Black is still blocking its advance. Find the way to seize the initiative and maintain the winning position for the next 5 moves.
Mikhail Botvinnik – José Raúl Capablanca · 1938 · AVRO Tournament, Netherlands 1938 · White to move
Start the task →Tal–Larsen 1957 — Middlegame Tactics
A position from Mikhail Tal–Bent Larsen, Reykjavik 1957. White has active pieces and a chance to seize the initiative on the queenside. Do not look for mate or a single flashy blow — the key is to find a sequence of accurate moves and maintain the advantage over the next few moves.
Mikhail Tal – Bent Larsen · 1957 · World Students' Team Championship, Reykjavik 1957 · White to move
Start the task →Korchnoi–Spassky 1952 — Forced Mate in 3
A position from Viktor Korchnoi–Boris Spassky, Leningrad 1952. White's king has very little space and Black's pieces are ideally placed for a direct attack. This is a good exercise in calculating a short and concrete mating sequence.
Viktor Korchnoi – Boris Spassky · 1952 · Leningrad, 1952 · Black to move
Start the task →Fischer–Rouse 1964 — Forced Mate in 3
A position from Fischer's 1964 simultaneous exhibition in Chicago. Black's king has been dragged into the centre while White's pieces are ideally placed around it. There is no need for a long calculation — just find the precise forcing sequence.
Robert James Fischer – Tevin A. Rouse · 1964 · Fischer Simultaneous Exhibition, Chicago 1964 · White to move
Start the task →Rotlewi–Rubinstein 1907 — King Attack Combination
One of Akiba Rubinstein's most famous combinations. White has just weakened the king with g3, but at first glance the position still appears to hold thanks to active defenders. Black must find a concrete way to break through. Calculate several moves ahead and focus on the coordination of the rooks, bishops and queen.
Georg Rotlewi – Akiba Rubinstein · 1907 · Lodz, 1907 · Black to move
Start the task →Checkmate with Two Bishops - Essential Endgame Technique
A classic two-bishop checkmate drill. Do not try to give check at every opportunity. Coordinate the bishops to restrict neighboring diagonals and use your king to take away more squares. The goal is to gradually reduce the space available to the black king.
White to move
Start the task →Chess Endgame Puzzle: Opposition in a King and Pawn Ending
White has only one pawn, so every king move matters. Do not rush the pawn forward — first work out how to restrict the black king and take the squares needed for a safe promotion.
White to move
Start the task →Nezhmetdinov-Kotkov 1957 - Mate in 2
A position from Rashid Nezhmetdinov - Yuri Kotkov, Krasnodar 1957. Black's king is severely restricted and White's pieces are ready to attack. There is no need for a quiet move here - calculate the concrete forcing sequence leading to mate.
Rashid Nezhmetdinov – Yuri M. Kotkov · 1957 · 17th RSFSR Championship, Krasnodar · White to move
Start the task →Prokeš — four pieces and the only path to a draw
Pushing the passed pawn immediately looks tempting, but it allows Black to win the race. White must first exploit the position of both kings and gain exactly enough time to stop the h-pawn.
1947 · Ladislav Prokeš endgame study · White to move
Start the task →A Mating Net Against the World Champion — Lasker vs Carroll, 1898
1898. Reigning World Champion Emanuel Lasker has reached a dangerous position against Carroll. Black's queen, rook and bishop are surrounding the exposed king, but finishing the attack requires complete precision. Black to move — find the mate in 3.
Emanuel Lasker – Carroll · 1898 · Black to move
Start the task →Sam Loyd — The Steinitz Gambit: Mate in 3
The most natural moves fail. The solution to this famous composition was deliberately designed to look like a move no sensible player should ever make. Do not search only for checks and immediate threats.
1903 · Checkmate — Novelty Tourney, 1st Prize · White to move
Start the task →Thomas Taverner — an extraordinary mate in 2
Black has many possible defenses, while the obvious checks do not solve the problem. Look for a move that does not attack the king directly, but makes every Black move weaken the position and open a different mating route.
1889 · 1st Prize, Dubuque Chess Journal · White to move
Start the task →Mate in 2 with Only 5 Pieces – Campbell | MoveForge #29
Only 5 pieces remain on the entire board, yet the solution is far from obvious. The queen already seems perfectly placed near the Black king — but the key is a surprising quiet move. Can you find the mate in 2?
1861 · Joseph Graham Campbell — The Chess Player’s Chronicle, 1861 · White to move
Start the task →Mate in 2 with Only 6 Pieces – Robert Lincoln | MoveForge #28
Only 6 pieces and an almost empty board. The position looks as if the solution should be obvious — but the key move is not a check. Can you find the move after which Black cannot avoid mate?
1998 · Robert Lincoln — Ideal-Mate Review, October · White to move
Start the task →Mate in 3 – Andrzej Babiarz | MoveForge #27
The position looks almost symmetrical, but a subtle asymmetry hides the solution. The natural rook moves fail. Can you find the quiet move that begins a forced mate in 3?
2014 · Andrzej Babiarz — “Christmas Problem · White to move
Start the task →Clear the Path to Promotion
The c6-pawn is only a few steps away from promotion, but Black seems to have everything under control. Can you find the move that removes the final obstacle and makes promotion unstoppable?
White to move
Start the task →Bishop sacrifice to expose the king
The white king appears safe behind its pawn cover, but Black’s pieces are ready to break through. Find the move that opens attacking lines and puts White under severe pressure.
Siegbert Tarrasch – Alexander Alekhine · 1922 · Bad Pistyan · Black to move
Start the task →King activates the mating diagonal
The black king is surrounded by pieces from both sides, and the queen on g2 looks dangerous. White needs a quiet move that leaves Black only one defence.
White to move
Start the task →Rook allows the promotion
The h7-pawn threatens immediate promotion while the queen on a2 controls the first rank. Black must use the promotion as the opponent’s forced tempo.
Black to move
Start the task →Queen labyrinth
The board is crowded with queens, so almost every move changes several lines at once. The solution requires tracking forced captures without losing tempo.
White to move
Start the task →Knight breaks the king’s defence
Black’s heavy pieces defend the back rank, while the e5-knight has several attractive jumps. Choose the line that keeps the pressure without surrendering the initiative.
Magnus Carlsen (13yo) – Sipke Ernst · 2004 · Corus Group C, Wijk aan Zee · White to move
Start the task →King prepares the knight mate
The black king is restricted by White’s pieces, but the queen can check from b2. The solution begins by placing the king beyond the defence’s reach.
White to move
Start the task →Quiet king move before mate
White’s rooks are ready to attack along the second rank, but the black queen can still give checks. First find a safe square for the king.
White to move
Start the task →Queen sacrifice that activates the rooks
The black king stands behind the f6-knight, while White’s rooks are ready to enter the e-file. Decide whether a material sacrifice creates enough forcing tempi.
Kramnik – Saric · 1991 · Leningrad · White to move
Start the task →Rook invades the eighth rank
Black’s king is shielded by heavy pieces, but the back rank is overloaded. White can exploit the tied defenders with one forcing invasion.
White to move
Start the task →Queen sacrifice for the rook
The black king is shielded on only one side, while White’s rook controls the seventh rank. A forcing check must clear the rook’s route to the back rank.
White to move
Start the task →Queen mate on b2
The black king on a2 is boxed in by its own pieces and the edge of the board. Check every square from which the white queen can give check.
White to move
Start the task →Rook deflects the defender
The knight and queen are close to the black king, but the b7-rook guards the seventh rank. Find a sequence that forces Black’s pieces onto poor squares.
White to move
Start the task →Activating the bishops against a rook
Black’s rook is active and the h4-pawn can become dangerous. White needs a move with tempo that restricts the king and activates both diagonals.
White to move
Start the task →Active defence in the endgame
Black’s pawn is one step from promotion and the white king is far away. Drawing requires an immediate gain of tempo with the rook and pawn.
White to move
Start the task →Quiet bishop move in a king attack
The position offers many immediate checks, but the correct move is quiet. White must disrupt the coordination of Black’s heavy pieces.
White to move
Start the task →Rook opens the mating diagonal
The white king has only an apparent pawn shield. Black must first remove the piece defending the key square near the king.
Heikki Westerinen – Mikhail Tal · 1982 · Moscow · Black to move
Start the task →Opposition in a symmetric pawn ending
Both sides have identical kingside pawn chains. The result depends on the white king’s route to the centre and correct use of opposition.
White to move
Start the task →Rook clears the passer’s route
The b6-pawn is held by the king, bishop, and a7-pawn. A direct promotion attempt is not enough; the rook must first find an active route.
White to move
Start the task →Tal’s queen sacrifice
Black threatens to invade on a1, but the king has very few squares. White must begin a forcing sequence before the defence consolidates.
Mihail Tal – Vasily Smyslov · 1959 · Candidates Tournament, Bled · White to move
Start the task →Queen clears the passer’s path
White’s pawn has reached the seventh rank, but Black controls the promotion square. A forcing sequence must combine king safety with the pawn’s advance.
White to move
Start the task →Bishop manoeuvre for the passed pawn
The passed c6-pawn is close to promotion, but the black king can blockade it. The key is to improve the bishop without wasting a tempo.
White to move
Start the task →Promotion after escaping check
The white king is checked by the queen on b7 while the c7-pawn is one step from promotion. Choose a king square that preserves both assets.
White to move
Start the task →Sacrifice to open the king
Black’s pieces restrict their own king. White can open lines for the bishops, but every forced reply must be calculated.
Alexander Alekhine – S. V. Gajdukevic · 1907 · Kislovodsk · White to move
Start the task →Precise queen retreat
The white king is exposed and Black’s rooks press the first rank. Find a precise queen move that combines defence with counterplay.
White to move
Start the task →Decisive first-rank invasion
Black’s queen and both rooks surround the white king. The attack depends on choosing the right order of checks and exchanges.
Magnus Carlsen – Ian Nepomniachtchi · 2022 · Airthings Masters KO · Black to move
Start the task →