10 defender captures rated between 1000 and 1199, averaging 1126. 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.
Capturing the defender removes the piece that holds the position together. The material trade is often equal or even losing on its face — the point is what becomes undefended a move later.
These are pitched at 1000-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1000 is one that players around 1000 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.
Rxd1 Bxd1 Qxf2
Rxe1 Rcxe1 Qxg3
Nxf7 Kxf7 Bxd5+ Kxf6 Bxb3
Nxe4 Qxe4 Rxc3
Nf6+ Bxf6 Rxe5 Ncxe5 Qxf6
Nxe3 Rxe3 Bxc5
Qxb4 Nxb4 Rxd2
Rc1 b5 axb5 Kb6 Rxc4
Bxc6 Nxc6 Qxe4
Bxc3 Bxc3 Qxd5
Train capturing the defender puzzles at your rating →
Capturing the defender removes the piece that holds the position together. The material trade is often equal or even losing on its face — the point is what becomes undefended a move later.
Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1000 is one that players rated around 1000 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1126, so they suit 1000-rated players.
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.