10 defender captures rated between 1400 and 1599, averaging 1471. 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 1400-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1400 is one that players around 1400 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.
Rd1+ Re1 Qxe3 fxe3 Rxe1+
Qxf3 gxf3 Rxd1+
Bxe3 fxe3 hxg4 h5 g3 h6 g2 h7 g1=Q
Qxd4 Bxd4 Rxe4+
Bxf3 Qxf3 Qxh4 Qg4+ Qxg4
Rxd6 cxd6 Bxc6
Nxe3 fxe3 Nxc2+
exf6 Qxf6 Qxf6 gxf6 Rxe6
Rxe5 Qxe5 Qxc6+ Kd8 Qxa8+
Qh4+ Kg1 Nxe3 Rxe3 Qxd4
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 1400 is one that players rated around 1400 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1471, so they suit 1400-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.