10 defender captures rated between 400 and 799, averaging 726. 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 600-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 600 is one that players around 600 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.
Bxh4 gxh4 Rxh3
Qxd6 cxd6 Nxd7 Rxe1 Rxe1
Nxe3 Rxe3 Rxd2
Qxc3 bxc3 Rxd3
Qxd5 cxd5 Nxc5
Rxf5 exf5 Bxg5
Qxd5 exd5 Rxf5
Nxe4 Nxe4 Rxd3+
Qxe5 dxe5 Bxe3+
Nxe4 Bxe4 Bxg5
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 600 is one that players rated around 600 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 726, so they suit 600-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.