Exposed King Chess Puzzles — Rated 2000

10 exposed king positions rated between 2000 and 2199, averaging 2081. 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.

An exposed king with no pawn cover is a target for every piece on the board. These puzzles are about finding the forcing sequence rather than accumulating advantage.

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.

Exposed King puzzles rated 2000

  1. Exposed King puzzle 1, rated 2172a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 1 · rated 2172 · White to play after Rxa3
    Show solution

    Rf8+ Kxh7 Qh5+ Kg7 Rf7+ Kg8 Qh7#

  2. Exposed King puzzle 2, rated 2091a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 2 · rated 2091 · White to play after Qf2
    Show solution

    Re8+ Ka7 Qxb7+ Kxb7 Rd7+ Ka6 Rxa8#

  3. Exposed King puzzle 3, rated 2064h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 3 · rated 2064 · Black to play after Qxg5+
    Show solution

    hxg5 Bc4 Rh7+ Kg1 Bd4+

  4. Exposed King puzzle 4, rated 2049h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 4 · rated 2049 · Black to play after Qxd5
    Show solution

    Qg1+ Ke2 Nf4+ Kf3 Qg2+ Kxf4 Qxd5

  5. Exposed King puzzle 5, rated 2002a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 5 · rated 2002 · White to play after Rg2
    Show solution

    Kh6 b1=Q Rxb1 Rh2+ Kg6 Rd2 Rb8+ Rd8 Rxd8#

  6. Exposed King puzzle 6, rated 2105h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 6 · rated 2105 · Black to play after Rc7
    Show solution

    e4+ Kg3 Be5+ Kg2 Bxc7

  7. Exposed King puzzle 7, rated 2083h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 7 · rated 2083 · Black to play after Rf7+
    Show solution

    Kg4 Ra7 Rd2+ Kg1 a2

  8. Exposed King puzzle 8, rated 2126h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 8 · rated 2126 · Black to play after Kc2
    Show solution

    Nxb4+ Kb3 Rb1+ Ka3 Nc2+ Ka2 Rb2#

  9. Exposed King puzzle 9, rated 2010a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 9 · rated 2010 · White to play after Qg4
    Show solution

    Rh7+ Kxh7 Qb7+ Ne7 Qxe7+

  10. Exposed King puzzle 10, rated 2112a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 10 · rated 2112 · White to play after Kd6
    Show solution

    Bxe8 Rxe8 Nc4+ Kd5 Nxa5

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Frequently asked questions

What is a exposed king in chess?

An exposed king with no pawn cover is a target for every piece on the board. These puzzles are about finding the forcing sequence rather than accumulating advantage.

What does a puzzle rating of 2000 mean?

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 2081, so they suit 2000-rated players.

Are these exposed king puzzles free?

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.