Intermezzo Chess Puzzles — Rated 1400

10 in-between moves rated between 1400 and 1599, averaging 1507. 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 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.

Intermezzo puzzles rated 1400

  1. Intermezzo puzzle 1, rated 1421a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 1 · rated 1421 · White to play after Qxd5
    Show solution

    Qa7+ Kh8 Bxd5

  2. Intermezzo puzzle 2, rated 1588a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 2 · rated 1588 · White to play after Bxh6
    Show solution

    Nf6+ Kf8 Qxh6#

  3. Intermezzo puzzle 3, rated 1416h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 3 · rated 1416 · Black to play after Qxa5
    Show solution

    Rxc1 Qxd8 Rxe1+ Nxe1 Rxd8

  4. Intermezzo puzzle 4, rated 1520a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 4 · rated 1520 · White to play after Qxb3
    Show solution

    Rxf8+ Kxf8 axb3

  5. Intermezzo puzzle 5, rated 1586h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 5 · rated 1586 · Black to play after Rxf4
    Show solution

    Qxf1+ Kh2 exf4 g7 Bxg7

  6. Intermezzo puzzle 6, rated 1496h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 6 · rated 1496 · Black to play after Qxa8
    Show solution

    fxg3+ Nxg3 Rxa8

  7. Intermezzo puzzle 7, rated 1572h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 7 · rated 1572 · Black to play after Qxe4
    Show solution

    Rd1+ Kb2 Qxe4 Rxe4 Rxf1

  8. Intermezzo puzzle 8, rated 1451h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 8 · rated 1451 · Black to play after gxh3
    Show solution

    Rxg3+ Kh2 Rhxh3#

  9. Intermezzo puzzle 9, rated 1553h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 9 · rated 1553 · Black to play after Rxd4
    Show solution

    hxg5+ Kg1 Bxd4+

  10. Intermezzo puzzle 10, rated 1463h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 10 · rated 1463 · Black to play after Rxe5
    Show solution

    Qxb1+ Kg2 dxe5

Train intermezzo puzzles at your rating →

Related puzzle sets

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 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 1507, so they suit 1400-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.