Hanging Piece Chess Puzzles — Rated 1400

10 hanging pieces rated between 1400 and 1599, averaging 1460. 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.

A hanging piece is undefended and attackable. Missing them is the most common way material is lost below 1600, and finding them is mostly a habit: after every opponent move, check what is now undefended rather than only looking at what is attacked.

These are pitched at 1400-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1400 is one that players around 1400 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.

Hanging Piece puzzles rated 1400

  1. Hanging Piece puzzle 1, rated 1449h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 1 · rated 1449 · Black to play after Rxc8
    Show solution

    Qxh1+ Qd1 Qxd1+ Kxd1 Bxc8

  2. Hanging Piece puzzle 2, rated 1467h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 2 · rated 1467 · Black to play after Bxg5
    Show solution

    hxg5 Kg4 f6 h4 gxh4

  3. Hanging Piece puzzle 3, rated 1497h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 3 · rated 1497 · Black to play after Nxe4
    Show solution

    Rxb1+ Rf1 Rxf1+ Kxf1 Nxe4

  4. Hanging Piece puzzle 4, rated 1471h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 4 · rated 1471 · Black to play after Nxd5
    Show solution

    Kxd5 Kg4 Be7

  5. Hanging Piece puzzle 5, rated 1480a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 5 · rated 1480 · White to play after Kh7
    Show solution

    Qxa8 a1=Q Qxa1 Qxa1 c8=Q

  6. Hanging Piece puzzle 6, rated 1405a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 6 · rated 1405 · White to play after Rxa7
    Show solution

    Rxa7+ Kh6 Ra6

  7. Hanging Piece puzzle 7, rated 1463h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 7 · rated 1463 · Black to play after Ne4+
    Show solution

    Nxe4+ Kc1 Nd6

  8. Hanging Piece puzzle 8, rated 1475a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 8 · rated 1475 · White to play after g2
    Show solution

    Bxh2 Bxd5 Kxd5 g3 Bg1

  9. Hanging Piece puzzle 9, rated 1437h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 9 · rated 1437 · Black to play after Kg4
    Show solution

    Kxc3 Kf5 Kxb3 Ke6 c4

  10. Hanging Piece puzzle 10, rated 1455a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 10 · rated 1455 · White to play after Qf2
    Show solution

    Qxg4+ Kh8 Qg7#

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Frequently asked questions

What is a hanging piece in chess?

A hanging piece is undefended and attackable. Missing them is the most common way material is lost below 1600, and finding them is mostly a habit: after every opponent move, check what is now undefended rather than only looking at what is attacked.

What does a puzzle rating of 1400 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1400 is one that players rated around 1400 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1460, so they suit 1400-rated players.

Are these hanging piece 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.