10 defender captures rated between 1800 and 1999, averaging 1879. 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 1800-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1800 is one that players around 1800 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.
Qxf3 Ng3 Rxg3 fxg3 Qxe2
c4 fxe4 cxd5
Rxc8 Rxc8 Qxf5 Rc1+ Kg2 Qe4+ Qxe4
fxg3 Kxe3 gxh4
Rxe5 Kg8 Rxf3
h5 Qf3 Qxf3 Rxf3 Rxd1+
Rxd3 Qxc5 Nxe4+ Kg1 Nxc5
Nh3+ Kg2 Nxf2 Rxf2 Qxb6
Rxf6 Rxf6 Qxg5+
Nxd5 Rxf5 Nxc3 bxc3 Rxb1+
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 1800 is one that players rated around 1800 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1879, so they suit 1800-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.