Bible Chess

Chess Puzzles for Beginners with Answers

16 puzzles · rated 577 to 1099 · answers under each board

New to chess puzzles? Start here. Every puzzle on this page is a checkmate in one or two moves, chosen to be easy to read and fair to solve.

Each one has a hint if you get stuck and an answer that explains every move in plain words. If you are not sure how a piece moves, read how chess pieces move first.

How to solve them

The side to move is at the bottom of each board. White’s pieces are gold and Black’s are stone, drawn as the biblical figures of Bible Chess: the queen is a Judge, the rook a Tower, the bishop a Prophet, the knight a Scout and the pawns are Shepherds.

Puzzle 1: Black to move, mate in 1

EasyRating 577

White: king d1. Black: king d3, pawns d2 and c3.

Hint

Your pawn moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1... c2#

  1. Pawn c3 to c2. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 007fJ (CC0)

Puzzle 2: White to move, mate in 2

EasyRating 797

White: king f6, rook e1. Black: king h6, rook g3.

Hint

Your rook moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1. Rh1+ Rh3 2. Rxh3#

  1. Rook e1 to h1, check. Black answers: rook g3 to h3.
  2. Rook h1 to h3, taking the rook. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 01xyJ (CC0)

Puzzle 3: White to move, mate in 2

EasyRating 850

White: king f1, rook f4, bishop g2. Black: king g8, pawns g7 and h7.

Hint

Your bishop moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1. Bd5+ Kh8 2. Rf8#

  1. Bishop g2 to d5, check. Black answers: king g8 to h8.
  2. Rook f4 to f8. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 0B5A9 (CC0)

Puzzle 4: Black to move, mate in 2

EasyRating 878

White: king g1. Black: king c7, queen f5, knight e4.

Hint

Your queen moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1... Qf2+ 2. Kh1 Ng3#

  1. Queen f5 to f2, check. White answers: king g1 to h1.
  2. Knight e4 to g3. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 0YWWc (CC0)

Puzzle 5: Black to move, mate in 2

EasyRating 928

White: king g3, rook g4, pawn g5. Black: king h8, rooks f2 and f8.

Hint

Your rook moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1... R8f3+ 2. Kh4 Rh2#

  1. Rook f8 to f3, check. White answers: king g3 to h4.
  2. Rook f2 to h2. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 030o8 (CC0)

Puzzle 6: White to move, mate in 1

EasyRating 937

White: king f2, queen d8, knight e8. Black: king g8, bishop g7, pawn f7.

Hint

Your knight moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1. Nf6#

  1. Knight e8 to f6. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 01z4c (CC0)

Puzzle 7: White to move, mate in 2

EasyRating 969

White: king g2, rook b6, pawns g3 and h3. Black: king h5, pawn g5.

Hint

Your pawn moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1. g4+ Kh4 2. Rh6#

  1. Pawn g3 to g4, check. Black answers: king h5 to h4.
  2. Rook b6 to h6. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 00yHW (CC0)

Puzzle 8: Black to move, mate in 2

EasyRating 989

White: king h1, rook e6, pawns g2 and h2. Black: king g8, rooks e5 and e8.

Hint

Your rook moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1... Re1+ 2. Rxe1 Rxe1#

  1. Rook e5 to e1, check. White answers: rook e6 to e1, taking the rook.
  2. Rook e8 to e1, taking the rook. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 0T9Zp (CC0)

Puzzle 9: White to move, mate in 2

MediumRating 1007

White: king g1, queen d2, rook f1. Black: king g8, pawns d5, g7 and h7.

Hint

Your queen moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1. Qxd5+ Kh8 2. Rf8#

  1. Queen d2 to d5, taking the pawn, check. Black answers: king g8 to h8.
  2. Rook f1 to f8. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 0rbsT (CC0)

Puzzle 10: White to move, mate in 2

MediumRating 1015

White: king g1, rook f3, bishop f6. Black: king h7, pawns g6 and f7.

Hint

Your rook moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1. Rh3+ Kg8 2. Rh8#

  1. Rook f3 to h3, check. Black answers: king h7 to g8.
  2. Rook h3 to h8. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 00nZE (CC0)

Puzzle 11: Black to move, mate in 2

MediumRating 1024

White: king b1. Black: king f8, queen a4, pawn b3.

Hint

Your queen moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1... Qa2+ 2. Kc1 Qc2#

  1. Queen a4 to a2, check. White answers: king b1 to c1.
  2. Queen a2 to c2. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 03Xkm (CC0)

Puzzle 12: White to move, mate in 1

MediumRating 1039

White: king e3, queen f2. Black: king c1, queen b1.

Hint

Your queen moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1. Qd2#

  1. Queen f2 to d2. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 00T85 (CC0)

Puzzle 13: White to move, mate in 2

MediumRating 1060

White: king e2, queen h5, bishop f7. Black: king h7, pawn h6.

Hint

Your queen moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1. Qg6+ Kh8 2. Qxh6#

  1. Queen h5 to g6, check. Black answers: king h7 to h8.
  2. Queen g6 to h6, taking the pawn. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 01q3y (CC0)

Puzzle 14: Black to move, mate in 2

MediumRating 1071

White: king g3, rooks f3 and f4, pawns h3 and f5. Black: king f6, queen e3.

Hint

Your queen moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1... Qg1+ 2. Kh4 Qg5#

  1. Queen e3 to g1, check. White answers: king g3 to h4.
  2. Queen g1 to g5. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 0G3Up (CC0)

Puzzle 15: White to move, mate in 2

MediumRating 1092

White: king e2, rook h8, pawns g3 and d4. Black: king e4, pawns d5 and f5.

Hint

Your rook moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1. Rh4+ f4 2. Rxf4#

  1. Rook h8 to h4, check. Black answers: pawn f5 to f4.
  2. Rook h4 to f4, taking the pawn. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 0HY0j (CC0)

Puzzle 16: Black to move, mate in 2

MediumRating 1099

White: king g3, pawns h3 and f4. Black: king g7, rook c2, knight e1, pawn g6.

Hint

Your rook moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1... Rg2+ 2. Kh4 Nf3#

  1. Rook c2 to g2, check. White answers: king g3 to h4.
  2. Knight e1 to f3. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 0H8ob (CC0)

Questions

How do beginners get better at chess puzzles?

Solve easy puzzles regularly, always look at checks first, and read the answer even when you got it right. Patterns stick after you see them a few times.

Which puzzles should I start with?

Mate in 1. Move on to mate in 2 when mate in 1 feels quick.

More chess puzzles