Trapped Piece Chess Puzzles — Rated 1600

10 trapped pieces rated between 1600 and 1799, averaging 1692. 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 trapped piece has no safe squares. It does not have to be attacked yet — the winning technique is to take away its escape squares first, then attack it with something it cannot trade with. Knights on the rim and queens that raided too early are the usual victims.

These are pitched at 1600-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1600 is one that players around 1600 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.

Trapped Piece puzzles rated 1600

  1. Trapped Piece puzzle 1, rated 1641h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 1 · rated 1641 · Black to play after Nd4
    Show solution

    Ra6 Qxa6 bxa6

  2. Trapped Piece puzzle 2, rated 1750h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 2 · rated 1750 · Black to play after O-O
    Show solution

    Bb7 Qxb7+ Qxb7

  3. Trapped Piece puzzle 3, rated 1762h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 3 · rated 1762 · Black to play after Qf2
    Show solution

    Qxf2+ Kxf2 g6 g5 gxh5

  4. Trapped Piece puzzle 4, rated 1619a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 4 · rated 1619 · White to play after Nf6
    Show solution

    Rh4 Qxh4 gxh4

  5. Trapped Piece puzzle 5, rated 1611h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 5 · rated 1611 · Black to play after Qh5
    Show solution

    Rh4 Qf7+ Rxf7 exf7+ Qxf7

  6. Trapped Piece puzzle 6, rated 1786a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 6 · rated 1786 · White to play after Kd6
    Show solution

    Kg2 Nh5 Kxh2

  7. Trapped Piece puzzle 7, rated 1700a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 7 · rated 1700 · White to play after Bxf3
    Show solution

    Qxf3 Qxf6 Qxa8 Nc6 Qb7

  8. Trapped Piece puzzle 8, rated 1731h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 8 · rated 1731 · Black to play after Rd6
    Show solution

    Ke7 Rxc6 Kd7 Rxb6 axb6

  9. Trapped Piece puzzle 9, rated 1601h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 9 · rated 1601 · Black to play after Nxc3
    Show solution

    Nd7 Qxa8 Qxa8

  10. Trapped Piece puzzle 10, rated 1718h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 10 · rated 1718 · Black to play after Nxd5
    Show solution

    Qxf3 Ne7+ Kf8 gxf3 Kxe7

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Frequently asked questions

What is a trapped piece in chess?

A trapped piece has no safe squares. It does not have to be attacked yet — the winning technique is to take away its escape squares first, then attack it with something it cannot trade with. Knights on the rim and queens that raided too early are the usual victims.

What does a puzzle rating of 1600 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1600 is one that players rated around 1600 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1692, so they suit 1600-rated players.

Are these trapped 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.