10 defender captures rated between 2000 and 2199, averaging 2101. 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 2000-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 2000 is one that players around 2000 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.
h4 Nxe2 dxe2 Kxe2 hxg3
Nf4 Qc6 Qxc6 bxc6 Nxe6
Rxc6 Qxc6 Qxd4+ Rf2 Nh3+
Bxd4 Bxd4 Qxc2+
Rxf6 Rxf6 Qxg5+
Qxa3 bxa3 Bxc3+ Kd1 Bxa1
Nb5 d4 Nxd6 dxe3 Bxe5+
Bxd6 Rxd3 Qxe6+
Rxf7 Bg7 Qxg6 Rxf7 Qxf7+
Rxe7 Qxe7 Qxd5 Bh7 Qxa8+
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 2000 is one that players rated around 2000 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 2101, so they suit 2000-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.