Advanced Pawn Chess Puzzles — Rated 1600

10 advanced pawn tactics rated between 1600 and 1799, averaging 1647. Each position below is from a real game, with the solution given underneath — so you can check yourself immediately rather than guessing whether you were right.

A pawn on the sixth or seventh rank changes the rules of a position: it ties down pieces far more valuable than itself, and threats of promotion often matter more than the material count.

These are pitched at 1600-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1600 is one that players around 1600 solve about half the time, so if you are getting most of these you should move up a band.

Solving from a page is good for pattern recognition but not for tracking progress. The rated puzzle trainer serves puzzles matched to your own rating and adjusts as you solve, and the Mistake Trainer builds puzzles from positions you actually got wrong in your own games.

Advanced Pawn puzzles rated 1600

  1. Advanced Pawn puzzle 1, rated 1618h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 1 · rated 1618 · Black to play after b5
    Show solution

    g4+ Kh2 Kf2 a5 g3+ Kh3 g2

  2. Advanced Pawn puzzle 2, rated 1607a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 2 · rated 1607 · White to play after Bxg5
    Show solution

    Re8+ Rxe8 dxe8=Q#

  3. Advanced Pawn puzzle 3, rated 1710a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 3 · rated 1710 · White to play after Rg8
    Show solution

    Qg7+ Rxg7 hxg7+ Kg8 Rh8#

  4. Advanced Pawn puzzle 4, rated 1709a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 4 · rated 1709 · White to play after Ke8
    Show solution

    d7+ Kxd7 Kf7 Bb3+ Kf8

  5. Advanced Pawn puzzle 5, rated 1621h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 5 · rated 1621 · Black to play after Rxa5
    Show solution

    Rxa5 Rxa5 c2 Ra8+ Kh7

  6. Advanced Pawn puzzle 6, rated 1676a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 6 · rated 1676 · White to play after Ng4
    Show solution

    Bb5 Bxb5 c8=Q+

  7. Advanced Pawn puzzle 7, rated 1655h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 7 · rated 1655 · Black to play after c7
    Show solution

    Rg1+ Kh3 Rxg3+ Kxg3 f1=Q

  8. Advanced Pawn puzzle 8, rated 1607h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 8 · rated 1607 · Black to play after h7
    Show solution

    Rh4+ Kg2 Rg4+ Kf2 Rxg1 h8=Q c1=Q

  9. Advanced Pawn puzzle 9, rated 1634a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 9 · rated 1634 · White to play after Nxd7
    Show solution

    cxd7 Rxd7 Rxd7

  10. Advanced Pawn puzzle 10, rated 1631a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 10 · rated 1631 · White to play after h6
    Show solution

    f7 Kg5 b6 Kf6 b7

Train advanced pawn puzzles at your rating →

Related puzzle sets

Frequently asked questions

What is a advanced pawn in chess?

A pawn on the sixth or seventh rank changes the rules of a position: it ties down pieces far more valuable than itself, and threats of promotion often matter more than the material count.

What does a puzzle rating of 1600 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1600 is one that players rated around 1600 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1647, so they suit 1600-rated players.

Are these advanced pawn puzzles free?

Yes. Every puzzle on this page, including its solution, is free to view with no account. The rated trainer that tracks your progress and serves puzzles matched to your rating is part of Chess Ramp Premium.