10 defender captures rated between 1200 and 1399, averaging 1315. 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 1200-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1200 is one that players around 1200 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.
Bxf6 Bxf6 Bxh5
Nxd4 Nxd4 Bc5 Ne2 Bxe2 Rxe2 Bxd4+
Qxc5 Rxc5 Rxd4
Nxc1 Bxf3 Rxc2
Qxd2 Bxd2 Nxd4
Rxe4 Nxe4 Rxf3
Nc6+ Kb7 Nxe7 Bxg4 Rxe1
Rxd5 cxd5 Qxc2 Nxc2 Rxb2
Qxe3 Rxe3 Rxd2
Rxc3 Bxc3 Rxg3+ Kf2 Rxc3
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 1200 is one that players rated around 1200 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1315, so they suit 1200-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.