10 defender captures rated between 2200 and 3500, averaging 2372. 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 2200+-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 2200+ is one that players around 2200+ 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.
Rxg7 Rxg7 Qxf6+ Ke8 Qxg7
Nxc3 Nxc3 Rxd4
Rxc6 Qxc6 Qxc6 Rxc6 Bxd5+ Re6 Bxe6+
h6 gxh6 gxf6 Nd8 Nxe5+ Kd4 Nc6+ Nxc6 f7
cxd5 cxd5 Qb6+ Kh1 Bxd5 Nc4 Bxc4 Bxc4 Nxe5
Rxe6 Kxe6 hxg6
Ndxc2 Rxc2 Rd8 d7 Bxc3 Qxc3 Qxb5 Qc4 Qxd7 Qxb4 Qd1+
Bxg7 Qxg7 Qxe6 c6 Rf6
Rbxc4 Rxc4 Qxb6
Qf8+ Kh7 Rh4 Qxh4 f6 Qxf6 Rxf6 gxf6 Qxf7+
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 2200+ is one that players rated around 2200+ solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 2372, so they suit 2200+-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.