Intermezzo Chess Puzzles — Rated 1200

10 in-between moves rated between 1200 and 1399, averaging 1321. 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 intermezzo — an in-between move, also called zwischenzug — inserts a more forcing move before making the move that seemed forced. Recapturing immediately is the instinct these puzzles are built to break: check whether a check or a bigger threat comes first.

These are pitched at 1200-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1200 is one that players around 1200 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.

Intermezzo puzzles rated 1200

  1. Intermezzo puzzle 1, rated 1284a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 1 · rated 1284 · White to play after Rxb8
    Show solution

    Qh6+ Kg8 Rxb8#

  2. Intermezzo puzzle 2, rated 1379a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 2 · rated 1379 · White to play after Bxh5
    Show solution

    Bxf6 Bxf6 Bxh5

  3. Intermezzo puzzle 3, rated 1398a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 3 · rated 1398 · White to play after Qxd4
    Show solution

    Rxf5+ exf5 Qxd4

  4. Intermezzo puzzle 4, rated 1209h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 4 · rated 1209 · Black to play after gxf3
    Show solution

    Rg1+ Kh2 Nxf3#

  5. Intermezzo puzzle 5, rated 1331a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 5 · rated 1331 · White to play after exf5
    Show solution

    Rc8+ Kh7 Qxf5+ g6 Qxf7#

  6. Intermezzo puzzle 6, rated 1376h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 6 · rated 1376 · Black to play after fxe3
    Show solution

    Rxf1+ Kxf1 Nxe3+ Kg1 Nxg4

  7. Intermezzo puzzle 7, rated 1326a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 7 · rated 1326 · White to play after Qxe3
    Show solution

    Bxe5+ Kg8 fxe3

  8. Intermezzo puzzle 8, rated 1254h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 8 · rated 1254 · Black to play after Rxd6
    Show solution

    Nxf3+ gxf3 Qxd6

  9. Intermezzo puzzle 9, rated 1294h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 9 · rated 1294 · Black to play after Nxe6
    Show solution

    Nxc3+ Ke3 Kxe6

  10. Intermezzo puzzle 10, rated 1358a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 10 · rated 1358 · White to play after Rxh7
    Show solution

    Rxc8+ Kxc8 Rxh7

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Frequently asked questions

What is a intermezzo in chess?

An intermezzo — an in-between move, also called zwischenzug — inserts a more forcing move before making the move that seemed forced. Recapturing immediately is the instinct these puzzles are built to break: check whether a check or a bigger threat comes first.

What does a puzzle rating of 1200 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1200 is one that players rated around 1200 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1321, so they suit 1200-rated players.

Are these intermezzo 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.