Trapped Piece Chess Puzzles — Rated 600

10 trapped pieces rated between 400 and 799, averaging 725. 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 600-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 600 is one that players around 600 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 600

  1. Trapped Piece puzzle 1, rated 767a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 1 · rated 767 · White to play after Qxd4+
    Show solution

    Rxd4 Bxd7 Rxd7

  2. Trapped Piece puzzle 2, rated 740h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 2 · rated 740 · Black to play after Rxf7+
    Show solution

    Kxf7 Qxh5+ Nxh5

  3. Trapped Piece puzzle 3, rated 787a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 3 · rated 787 · White to play after Kxd6
    Show solution

    b7 Bxb7 axb7

  4. Trapped Piece puzzle 4, rated 520h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 4 · rated 520 · Black to play after hxg5+
    Show solution

    Kxg5 Rxf5+ Kxf5

  5. Trapped Piece puzzle 5, rated 709h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 5 · rated 709 · Black to play after Kxf3
    Show solution

    Bxb2 Nd2 Bxa1

  6. Trapped Piece puzzle 6, rated 700a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 6 · rated 700 · White to play after Ng5
    Show solution

    f4 h5 fxg5

  7. Trapped Piece puzzle 7, rated 757a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 7 · rated 757 · White to play after g3+
    Show solution

    fxg3 Qxg3+ Kxg3

  8. Trapped Piece puzzle 8, rated 723a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 8 · rated 723 · White to play after f4
    Show solution

    c7 Bxc7 bxc7

  9. Trapped Piece puzzle 9, rated 768a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 9 · rated 768 · White to play after Qxh5+
    Show solution

    Rh3 Qxh3+ Kxh3

  10. Trapped Piece puzzle 10, rated 777a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 10 · rated 777 · White to play after Kf7
    Show solution

    f5 Bxf5 gxf5

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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 600 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 600 is one that players rated around 600 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 725, so they suit 600-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.