Every position, browsable

Train

Follow the journey →

By family By level

Beginner

< 1000

The elementary mates you must never fumble.

0/3 mastered

King & Queen Checkmate

White to play and win

King & Rook Checkmate

White to play and win

Two-Rook Ladder Mate

White to play and win

Class E

1000–1199

The opposition, the two-bishop mate, and the rook-pawn draw.

0/4 mastered

Opposition: King Before Pawn

White to play and win

The Square of the Pawn

Black to play and draw

The Rook Pawn Corner Fortress

Black to play and draw

Two Bishops Checkmate

White to play and win

Class D

1200–1399

King and pawn vs king, key squares, and a piece against a lone pawn.

0/24 mastered

Bishop and Knight Mate: The Final Corner

White to play and win

Two Minor Pieces: The W-Maneuver

White to play and win

Take the Opposition to Hold the Draw

Black to play and draw

King on the Sixth: The Winning Formation

White to play and win

The Rule of the Square: Outrunning the King

White to play and win

The Pawn That Never Moves

White to play and draw

Queen Beats the Center Pawn

White to play and win

Reciprocal Zugzwang: e6 Against c5

White to play and win

The Same Position, and Only One Move Saves It

Black to play and draw

The Bishop Pawn Escapes

White to play and draw

When the Bishop Pawn Loses Anyway

White to play and win

Let the Rook Pawn Queen, Then Mate

White to play and win

The Pendulum Defense

White to play and draw

The King's Zigzag

White to play and win

Zigzag Around the Check

White to play and draw

Key Squares: The Winning Map

White to play and win

King and Two Pawns vs King

White to play and win

Defending King & Pawn vs King

Black to play and draw

Distant Opposition and Outflanking

White to play and win

The Knight Blockade

Black to play and draw

Knight vs Rook Pawn

White to play and draw

Rook vs Advanced Pawn

White to play and win

Rook vs Bishop: The Safe Corner

Black to play and draw

PRO

Rook vs Knight: Keep the Knight Beside Its King

White to play and draw

Class C

1400–1599

Lucena, Philidor, the outside passer, the wrong bishop, queen vs pawn.

0/36 mastered

The Knight Mates the King in the Corner

White to play and win

A Lone Knight Mates in the Corner

White to play and win

The King Locked in Front of Its Pawn

Black to play and draw

The Knight Catches the Runner

White to play and draw

Offer the Knight in the Corner

White to play and draw

Deflect the Blockader, Run the Rook Pawn

White to play and win

Stopping the Rook Pawn With Check

Black to play and draw

The Opposition Is Worthless Without an Outflank

Black to play and draw

One Reserve Tempo Wins the Opposition

White to play and win

Opposition With Room: The d5 Breakthrough

White to play and win

Give Both Pawns Away to Save the Game

White to play and draw

Corresponding Squares: One Move Holds, Six Lose

Black to play and draw

Sacrifice to Clear the Pawn's Path

White to play and win

Grigoriev 1920: Two Spare Tempi and a Stalemate

White to play and draw

Killing the Reserve Tempo: f and h vs the h-Pawn

Black to play and win

Reciprocal Zugzwang: One Tempo Draws

White to play and draw

One Tempo Short: g and h vs the h-Pawn

White to play and draw

g and h Against the h-Pawn: The Winning Half

White to play and win

Defend the Passed Pawn From Behind

White to play and win

The Knight Guards the Blockaded Pawn

White to play and win

Triangulation: Losing a Move to Win

White to play and win

Corresponding Squares Behind the Passed Pawn

White to play and win

The Stalemate That Saves

Black to play and draw

Corresponding Squares: Dedrle's Draw

Black to play and draw

The Wing Pawn Is Bait

White to play and win

Fix the Pawns and Draw

Black to play and draw

The Tempo Count Decides

White to play and win

The Extra Pawn That Cannot Win

Black to play and draw

The Lucena Position

White to play and win

The Philidor Position

Black to play and draw

The Passive Back-Rank Defense

Black to play and draw

Cutting Off the King

White to play and win

The Outside Passed Pawn

White to play and win

Two Pawns Against One

White to play and win

The Wrong Bishop

Black to play and draw

Queen vs Pawn on the Seventh

White to play and win

Class B

1600–1799

Triangulation, rook and two vs rook, passed-pawn play, the tricky draws.

0/106 mastered

PRO

Two Knights Cage the King

White to play and draw

Centurini: Deflect, Then Interfere

White to play and win

The King Guards the Interference Square

Black to play and draw

The Short Diagonal

White to play and win

Win It by Zugzwang, Not by Pushing

White to play and win

Keep the Knight Away From the King

White to play and draw

The Wrong Bishop Draw

Black to play and draw

The Cutoff That Arrives One Tempo Late

White to play and draw

Cutting the King Off With the Bishop

White to play and win

The Bishop Buried on h7

White to play and draw

Connected Pawns Against the Long Diagonal

White to play and draw

Do Not Put the King In Front of the Pawns

Black to play and draw

Cutting the King Off: Rook Against a Runner

White to play and win

Rook vs Rook-Pawn: The Defender's Tempo

Black to play and draw

Cutting Off a Knight-Pawn

White to play and win

Cutting the Knight Off with the Bishop

White to play and win

The Lone f-Pawn Falls Short

White to play and draw

PRO

Locked Rook Pawns, Spare Pawn

Black to play and draw

PRO

Inside the Square and Still Too Slow

White to play and win

PRO

Stop the Runner First, Then Queen

White to play and win

Only Be8 Stops the Pawn

Black to play and draw

Count the Diagonal, Then Block It

White to play and win

The Defending King Arrives in Time

White to play and draw

One Tempo Turns the Draw into a Win

White to play and win

PRO

Mined Squares: c4 and b6

White to play and draw

Outflanking: The Réti Study

White to play and win

Pawn on the Seventh: Building the Bridge

White to play and win

Where the Side Checks Run Out

White to play and win

The Knight Underpromotion Defense

White to play and draw

When the Knight Trick Fails

White to play and win

Locked Knight Pawns Hold

White to play and draw

Blocked Rook Pawns and Stalemate

White to play and draw

Rook Against Connected Pawns

White to play and draw

Connected Passers: Shelter Behind Your Own Pawn

White to play and win

The Rook Belongs Behind the Leading Pawn

White to play and win

Rook Against Separated Pawns

White to play and draw

Three Files Apart: The Rook Is Overloaded

Black to play and win

Separated Passers Overrun the Rook

Black to play and win

PRO

Winning with a Frozen King

White to play and win

PRO

The Bishop Sacrifice That Buries a King

White to play and win

Shouldering Off the King

White to play and draw

The Check That Buys a Tempo

White to play and win

The Stalemate Resource

Black to play and draw

PRO

The Floating Square: When One Pawn Must Queen

Black to play and win

PRO

The Floating Square That Falls Short

Black to play and draw

PRO

Two Files Apart: The King Wins Both Pawns

White to play and win

King Trapped in Front of the Rook Pawn

White to play and draw

Freeing the King From Its Own Rook Pawn

White to play and win

The Frontal Attack: A Pawn Short of the Mid-Line

White to play and draw

The Far Rook Still Holds

White to play and draw

Rook on the First Rank, King to the Rescue

White to play and draw

Cut, Shoulder, Check, Push

White to play and win

One Tempo Saves the Draw: Only Kd5

Black to play and draw

Cut Off by Two Files: King First, Pawn Last

White to play and win

Zugzwang Against a King on the Edge

White to play and win

Knight Pawn: Two Files of Cut Is Not Enough

White to play and draw

Philidor's Defense on the Fifth

Black to play and draw

The Fifth-Rank Fortress: 1.Kf6 Does Not Win

White to play and draw

Rook Behind the Pawn, King to the Side

Black to play and draw

Knight Pawn: The Long Side or Nothing

Black to play and draw

Pawn on the Sixth: The Rook Goes to h7

White to play and win

Holding the Sixth-Rank Pawn

Black to play and draw

The Wrong Side of the Pawn

White to play and draw

A Drawn Pawn on the Sixth

White to play and draw

Pawn on the Sixth: the King Steps to e8

White to play and win

Pawn on the Sixth: Only Ra7+ Holds

Black to play and draw

The Rook Too Close to the Pawn

White to play and win

Rook Behind the Pawn, King to e8

White to play and win

The Vancura Position

Black to play and draw

One Tempo Too Late for Vancura

Black to play and draw

The Standard Draw: Rook in Front of the Pawn on the Seventh

White to play and draw

PRO

Three Connected Pawns and the One Square That Wins

White to play and win

King Behind King

Black to play and draw

The Position Janowsky Resigned

Black to play and draw

PRO

Two Passers and a King on a Leash

White to play and win

PRO

Leaving the Box at the Right Moment

White to play and win

PRO

Winning by Zugzwang

White to play and win

PRO

Triangulation: Losing a Move to Win

White to play and win

The Reti Manoeuvre

White to play and draw

Shouldering: Winning the King Race

White to play and win

The Protected Passed Pawn

White to play and win

The Breakthrough

White to play and win

Separated Passers: The Floating Square

White to play and win

Winning the Pawn Race

White to play and win

Rook Behind the Passed Pawn

White to play and win

The Frontal Defense

Black to play and draw

Two Pawns Beat the Rook

White to play and win

PRO

Rook vs Connected Passed Pawns

White to play and win

Drawing Queen vs Rook Pawn

Black to play and draw

Drawing Queen vs Bishop Pawn

Black to play and draw

Queen vs Rook Pawn: The Winning Zone

White to play and win

Queen vs Two Connected Pawns

White to play and win

PRO

Bishop & Knight Checkmate

White to play and win

The Knight's Pawn Exception

Black to play and win

King and Knight Mate the King Trapped by Its Own Pawn

White to play and win

Driving Off the Lone Bishop

White to play and win

The Frontal Defence

Black to play and draw

Pawn on the Seventh: Zugzwang, Not a Chase

White to play and win

Just Counting: The Promotion Race

White to play and win

Outflanking From Behind the Pawn

White to play and win

The Attacker's Shoulder-Charge

White to play and win

Cut Off One Rank Ahead of the Pawn

Black to play and draw

The Outside Passer: Play Where You Are a Piece Up

White to play and win

Blocked Pawns: Racing for the Key Squares

White to play and win

Separated Pawns Defend Each Other

White to play and win

Doubled Pawns Against a Bare King

White to play and win

Class A

1800–1999

The deep rook defenses, opposite bishops, corresponding squares, fortresses.

0/94 mastered

PRO

Vancura With an Extra Rook Pawn

Black to play and draw

Why the Bishop Pawn Only Draws

White to play and draw

PRO

Smyslov's Method: The Rook Goes Back

White to play and draw

PRO

The g-File Defence: The King Tucks in on h3

White to play and draw

PRO

Guard e6, But From the Right Square

Black to play and draw

PRO

Connected Passers Do Beat an Opposite-Coloured Bishop

White to play and win

PRO

Bf8, Then Give the Bishop for a Pawn

Black to play and draw

PRO

The Torn Bishop and the Saving Sacrifice

White to play and draw

PRO

Connected Pawns Escorted by the Rook Alone

White to play and win

PRO

Kling and Horwitz: The King Blockades

White to play and draw

PRO

The King March and the Zugzwang Squares

White to play and win

PRO

The Rook at the Side of the Pawns

Black to play and win

PRO

The Exchange Threat and the Rook Sacrifice

Black to play and draw

PRO

Doubled Pawns and the Philidor Draw

White to play and draw

PRO

The Gap Between the f- and h-Pawns

White to play and draw

PRO

Defending Against Split Kingside Pawns

Black to play and draw

PRO

Giving Up the h-Pawn to Push the f-Pawn

White to play and draw

PRO

Lasker's Idea: Check, Then Capture

White to play and win

PRO

Active Defence: Walk the King to the Passer

Black to play and draw

PRO

Self-Propelled Pawns Against a Counter-Runner

White to play and draw

PRO

One Tempo for the a-Pawn

Black to play and draw

PRO

The Structure Decides, Not the Tempo

White to play and win

PRO

The Same Position, One Tempo Better

White to play and win

Rook and Bishop: The Philidor Win

White to play and win

Finishing the Philidor Position

White to play and win

Defending Rook Against Rook and Bishop

Black to play and draw

The Second-Rank Defense

White to play and draw

Holding the Rook and Bishop Ending

White to play and draw

Rook Against Rook and Bishop: Holding the Draw

Black to play and draw

PRO

March at the Piece That Holds the Pawn

White to play and win

PRO

Same Pawns, Swapped Defenders, No Win

White to play and draw

PRO

The Knight's Pawn Saves the Draw

White to play and draw

Driving the King to the Dangerous Corner

White to play and win

PRO

Winning the Rook for the Pawn

White to play and win

PRO

The f-Pawn Breaks the a8 Fortress

White to play and win

Step Out of the Safe Corner

Black to play and draw

Winning Despite the Safe Corner

White to play and win

Take the Outpost, Then Hunt the Bishop

White to play and win

Stalemate, Not a Fortress

White to play and draw

PRO

The Umbrella: Hiding Behind an Enemy Pawn

Black to play and win

PRO

Vertical Checks Against the Far-Advanced Pawn

Black to play and draw

PRO

Only the King Can Take That Pawn

White to play and win

PRO

Give the g-Pawn Away

White to play and win

Lucena's Limit: The Rook Pawn

Black to play and draw

PRO

The Rook in Front of Its Pawn

White to play and win

PRO

The Vancura Position

Black to play and draw

PRO

The Short-Side Defense

Black to play and draw

PRO

Checking Distance: The Long Side

Black to play and draw

PRO

The Kling and Horwitz Defense

Black to play and draw

PRO

Connected Passers vs the Counter-Pawn

White to play and win

PRO

Rook vs Three Connected Pawns

White to play and win

The Saavedra Study

White to play and win

PRO

Corresponding Squares

White to play and win

PRO

Mined Squares

White to play and win

PRO

Winning the Queening Race with a Check

White to play and win

PRO

Centurini: Same-Colored Bishops

White to play and win

PRO

Knight and Pawn vs Knight

White to play and win

PRO

Good Bishop vs Bad Knight

White to play and win

PRO

The Opposite-Colored Bishops Fortress

Black to play and draw

PRO

Opposite Bishops: Two Pawns Win

White to play and win

PRO

Opposite Bishops: The Defensive Draw

White to play and draw

PRO

The Wrong Bishop's Bodyguard Pawn

White to play and win

Bishop Holds Two Connected Pawns

White to play and draw

PRO

Choosing the Barrier Square with King Support

White to play and draw

PRO

Lateral Control of the Promotion Square

White to play and draw

PRO

The Knight's Worst Square

White to play and win

PRO

Rear Opposition Holds

White to play and draw

PRO

The Three-Square Diagonal

White to play and win

PRO

Beat the Wrong-Diagonal Bishop

White to play and win

PRO

Rook and Knight Pawns: Wait on the Long Diagonal

Black to play and draw

PRO

Race to the Fortress

Black to play and draw

PRO

The Cage

White to play and win

PRO

One File Apart: The King Blockade Holds

Black to play and draw

PRO

When the Attacker Owns the Corner

White to play and win

PRO

Central and Rook Pawn: Deny b7

Black to play and draw

PRO

The Overextended Knight Pawn

Black to play and draw

PRO

Knight Pawn Kept Back: Two Threats at Once

White to play and win

PRO

Outflanking with a- and e-Pawns

White to play and win

PRO

When the Bishop's Diagonal Is Too Short

White to play and win

PRO

The Rook Pawn: A Draw in the Corner

White to play and draw

PRO

The Knight-Pawn Squeeze

White to play and win

PRO

The Pawn That Beats the Rook

White to play and win

PRO

The Rook's Waiting Move

White to play and win

PRO

The Tail-Hook

Black to play and draw

PRO

Hold the Rook Pawn with Precise Checks

Black to play and draw

PRO

The Second-Rank Defense against Doubled Pawns

White to play and draw

PRO

F- and H-Pawns Beat the Back-Rank King

White to play and win

PRO

The e6 Wedge: Two Pawns Beat One

White to play and win

PRO

Bishop Pawn: Winning With the Defender by the Corner

Black to play and win

PRO

Bishop Pawn: The King on the Wrong Side

Black to play and win

PRO

The Corner Trick: Invite the Promotion

Black to play and draw

PRO

Two Rook Pawns and a Distant Passer

White to play and win

PRO

A Central Passer Beside Blocked Rook Pawns

White to play and win

PRO

A Bishop Pawn Beside Blocked Rook Pawns

White to play and win

Expert

2000+

Queen endings and the piece-vs-piece duels: the endings that separate experts.

0/51 mastered

PRO

The Extra Pawn That Loses the Draw

White to play and win

Rook versus Queen: Ponziani's Perpetual

Black to play and draw

Philidor's Position: Winning Queen versus Rook

White to play and win

PRO

A Passed Pawn and Still No Zugzwang

White to play and draw

PRO

The King on the Seventh Changes the Verdict

White to play and win

PRO

Adjacent Pawns: Walk the King to g7

Black to play and draw

PRO

The Queen Sacrifice That Breaks the Wall

White to play and win

PRO

Queen and Pawn versus Queen: Getting the King in Front

Black to play and draw

Botvinnik's Method: Blocking the Check with the Queen

White to play and win

Queen and Pawn versus Queen: The Reference Win

White to play and win

One Square Decides: The Defending King's Only Move

Black to play and draw

Queen Against Bishop and Knight: The Rare Exception

White to play and draw

PRO

The Pawn on the Bishop's Colour Is Lost

White to play and win

PRO

The Knight Does Two Jobs on h3

White to play and draw

PRO

The Knight Belongs on h5

White to play and draw

PRO

Imprison the King, Then Zugzwang

Black to play and win

PRO

Maizelis: Cage the King in the Corner, Then Squeeze

Black to play and win

PRO

Play for Zugzwang, Not a Breakthrough

White to play and win

Two Protected Squares, No Zugzwang

White to play and draw

The Rook Pawn on the Seventh: Only One Protected Square

White to play and win

The Rook Pawn on the Sixth: A Break-in That Wins Nothing

White to play and draw

A Central Pawn on the Sixth Is Lost

White to play and win

The Knight Pawn on the Sixth: The King Stays Behind It

White to play and draw

Why the Knight Pawn Holds and the Central Pawn Does Not

White to play and draw

Defending Rook and Knight Pawn: King in Front Is Allowed

Black to play and draw

PRO

The Colour Barrier You Cannot Cross

Black to play and draw

PRO

Give the Bishop, Reach Rook Against Pawn

White to play and draw

PRO

Queen vs Rook

White to play and win

PRO

Queen vs Queen: The Skewer Check

White to play and win

PRO

The Fortress: Rook and Pawn vs Queen

White to play and draw

PRO

Queen and Pawn vs Queen

White to play and win

PRO

Queen and Pawn vs Queen: The Perpetual

Black to play and draw

PRO

Queen vs Two Bishops

White to play and win

PRO

Queen vs Two Knights

White to play and win

PRO

Queen vs Two Rooks

White to play and draw

PRO

Rook & Knight Hold vs Queen

Black to play and draw

PRO

Rook & Bishop Hold vs Queen

Black to play and draw

PRO

Rook vs Knight: The Stranded Horse

White to play and win

PRO

Rook and Bishop vs Rook: The Second Rank

Black to play and draw

PRO

Rook vs Rook & Knight

White to play and draw

PRO

Rook Holds vs Bishop & Knight

White to play and draw

PRO

Rook & Pawn vs Knight

White to play and win

PRO

Rook & Pawn vs Bishop

White to play and win

PRO

Knight & Pawn Hold vs Rook

Black to play and draw

PRO

Bishop & Pawn Hold vs Rook

Black to play and draw

PRO

The Knight Blockade vs Bishop and Pawn

Black to play and draw

PRO

The Bishop's Long Diagonal vs Knight and Pawn

Black to play and draw

PRO

Knight & Pawn vs Bishop

White to play and win

PRO

Knight Holds vs Bishop & Pawn

White to play and draw

PRO

Knight Holds Two Connected Pawns

White to play and draw

PRO

Kling and Horwitz: Two Bishops Against a Knight

White to play and win