Bible Chess

Chess Puzzles for Kids: Easy Checkmates

12 puzzles · rated 453 to 1074 · answers under each board

These puzzles are for young players: few pieces, clear boards and short checkmates. Each has a hint and an answer written in plain words, so a child can check their own solution.

Parents and teachers: ask your child to say the move out loud before opening the answer, and to explain why the king can’t escape. That habit is worth more than speed.

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: White to move, mate in 1

EasyRating 453

White: king c1, queen d5, bishop c4. Black: king e8, queen d8.

Hint

Your queen moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1. Qf7#

  1. Queen d5 to f7. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 02Wf7 (CC0)

Puzzle 2: Black to move, mate in 2

EasyRating 698

White: king g1, pawns f2 and g3. Black: king f8, rook e8, bishop d5.

Hint

Your rook moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1... Re1+ 2. Kh2 Rh1#

  1. Rook e8 to e1, check. White answers: king g1 to h2.
  2. Rook e1 to h1. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 02s84 (CC0)

Puzzle 3: White to move, mate in 1

EasyRating 784

White: king e6, rook h7. Black: king e8.

Hint

Your rook moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1. Rh8#

  1. Rook h7 to h8. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 02aIt (CC0)

Puzzle 4: Black to move, mate in 2

EasyRating 812

White: king h1, queen d3, pawns g2 and h2. Black: king g8, queen h4.

Hint

Your queen moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1... Qe1+ 2. Qf1 Qxf1#

  1. Queen h4 to e1, check. White answers: queen d3 to f1.
  2. Queen e1 to f1, taking the queen. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 03Nb5 (CC0)

Puzzle 5: Black to move, mate in 2

EasyRating 828

White: king h1, rook f1, bishop e2, pawns g2 and h2. Black: king h8, queen f5, rook f8.

Hint

Your queen moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1... Qxf1+ 2. Bxf1 Rxf1#

  1. Queen f5 to f1, taking the rook, check. White answers: bishop e2 to f1, taking the queen.
  2. Rook f8 to f1, taking the bishop. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 0wzLb (CC0)

Puzzle 6: Black to move, mate in 2

EasyRating 832

White: king h1, rook f1, bishop e2, pawns g2 and h2. Black: king g8, queen f6, rook f8.

Hint

Your queen moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1... Qxf1+ 2. Bxf1 Rxf1#

  1. Queen f6 to f1, taking the rook, check. White answers: bishop e2 to f1, taking the queen.
  2. Rook f8 to f1, taking the bishop. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 0CMyW (CC0)

Puzzle 7: White to move, mate in 2

EasyRating 865

White: king h2, queen g3. Black: king g8, bishop f6, pawns f7, g7 and h7.

Hint

Your queen moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1. Qb8+ Bd8 2. Qxd8#

  1. Queen g3 to b8, check. Black answers: bishop f6 to d8.
  2. Queen b8 to d8, taking the bishop. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 0YJfn (CC0)

Puzzle 8: White to move, mate in 2

EasyRating 866

White: king g2, queen f5. Black: king g8, knight c6, pawns f7, g7 and h7.

Hint

Your queen moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1. Qc8+ Nd8 2. Qxd8#

  1. Queen f5 to c8, check. Black answers: knight c6 to d8.
  2. Queen c8 to d8, taking the knight. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 0Lj4k (CC0)

Puzzle 9: Black to move, mate in 2

EasyRating 876

White: king h1, rook f1, knight e3, pawns g2 and h2. Black: king h8, queen f6, rook f8.

Hint

Your queen moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1... Qxf1+ 2. Nxf1 Rxf1#

  1. Queen f6 to f1, taking the rook, check. White answers: knight e3 to f1, taking the queen.
  2. Rook f8 to f1, taking the knight. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 0P5CJ (CC0)

Puzzle 10: Black to move, mate in 1

EasyRating 899

White: king h1, pawn h2. Black: king g8, queen h3, rook g2.

Hint

Your queen moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1... Qxh2#

  1. Queen h3 to h2, taking the pawn. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 02zzS (CC0)

Puzzle 11: Black to move, mate in 1

EasyRating 982

White: king g1, pawns g2 and h2. Black: king b5, queen e4.

Hint

Your queen moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1... Qe1#

  1. Queen e4 to e1. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 00pmn (CC0)

Puzzle 12: Black to move, mate in 1

MediumRating 1074

White: king h1, pawn h2. Black: king g8, queen h4, knight g4.

Hint

Your queen moves first, with check.

Show the answer

1... Qxh2#

  1. Queen h4 to h2, taking the pawn. Checkmate!

Based on Lichess puzzle 01L59 (CC0)

Questions

When can kids start chess puzzles?

As soon as they know how the pieces move. Mate in 1 puzzles are the best first step, and there is no minimum age.

Is Bible Chess good for kids?

It is rated 9+ on the App Store and teaches chess through short puzzles set in Bible stories, starting with how each piece moves.

More chess puzzles