10 defender captures rated between 1600 and 1799, averaging 1674. 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 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.
Rxc2 bxc2 Rxc7+ Kd8 Rxc2
e3 Kd3 exf2 Ke2 fxg3
Rxe2 Rxe2 Qxf3 Qf1 Bxf1
Qxd2 Bxd2 Bxd4+ Kf1 Bxa1
Rxf2 Bh5 Qxe3
Qxf3 Qxf3 Nxd4+ Kc1 Nxf3
Rxf2 Nxf2 Qxg3 Qxf3 Qxf3+
Rfxd7 Rxd7 Rxe8
Qf7+ Ne7 Bxe7 Qxe7 Qxg8
b4 Bxb4 cxb4 a5 R1d6#
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 1600 is one that players rated around 1600 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1674, so they suit 1600-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.