10 underpromotions rated between 1800 and 1999, averaging 1908. 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.
Underpromotion — taking a knight or rook instead of a queen — is right when the queen would be stalemate, or when only a knight delivers the fork or check that wins. Rare, and unforgettable when it appears.
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.
d7+ Ke7 dxc8=N+ Rxc8 axb3
Qxh6+ gxh6 g7+ Kh7 gxf8=N+ Kh8 Rg8#
f8=N+ Kh6 Rh7+ Kg5 Rg7+
g8=N+ Kf5 Rf7+ Ke6 Re7+ Kd6 Rxe1
c8=N+ Kb5 Rb7+ Ka4 Ra7+ Kb3 Rxa1
f1=N+ Kf4 Rxb8
Qxc6 Qxc6 d8=N+ Ke8 Nxc6
exd8=N+ Kg8 Re8#
f1=N+ Kf3 Nxg3 Kxg3 Kg5
b8=N+ Kb6 Nd7+ Kc6 Ne5+
Train underpromotion puzzles at your rating →
Underpromotion — taking a knight or rook instead of a queen — is right when the queen would be stalemate, or when only a knight delivers the fork or check that wins. Rare, and unforgettable when it appears.
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 1908, 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.