10 in-between moves rated between 1800 and 1999, averaging 1867. 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 1800-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1800 is one that players around 1800 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.
Qg8+ Kd7 dxc4+
Nh6+ Kf8 fxe4+
Rxf2+ Kh1 Qxd8
Qg6+ Qg4 Nxh3+ Kh2 Qxg4
Nxd6+ cxd6 Qxe3
Rxf7 Qxe8 Rxf6+ Kxf6 Rxe8
Nf3+ gxf3 Rg6+ Kh1 Qxf3#
Rc8 Qxb6 Rxc1+ Kf2 axb6
Rxg2+ Kxg2 Nxg5+
Nxf3+ gxf3 axb6
Train intermezzo puzzles at your rating →
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.
Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1800 is one that players rated around 1800 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1867, so they suit 1800-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.