Promotion tactic exercises

A pawn reaching the last rank creates a new queen and new threats. Play the winning move on the board below. Each position is verified: the solution is the strongest move, and the write-up tells you exactly what it wins. Read the full promotion tactic guide first if the pattern is new to you.

Solved 0 of 5 · first-try accuracy 0%

1. Exercise 1: White to play: force mate.

   Position (FEN): n7/6P1/K4Nk1/8/1Q6/7B/8/8 w - - 0 1

   8

   7

   6

   5

   4

   3

   2

   1a

   b

   c

   d

   e

   f

   g

   h

   White to play: force mate.

   easy · forced mate

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   g8=Q+ — g8=Q+ forces mate. Every black reply runs into the same net, so the game ends on the spot.

2. Exercise 2: White to play: win material.

   Position (FEN): 3Qn3/P1P5/8/8/8/7k/8/K7 w - - 0 1

   8

   7

   6

   5

   4

   3

   2

   1a

   b

   c

   d

   e

   f

   g

   h

   White to play: win material.

   easy · wins ~16 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   c8=Q+ — c8=Q+ wins about 16 pawns of material by force: the pawn hits h3 and Black cannot cover everything. The next best try, Qxe8, leaves the position roughly level.

3. Exercise 3: White to play: win material.

   Position (FEN): 8/K5P1/3P4/8/5P2/3b4/8/2k5 w - - 0 1

   8

   7

   6

   5

   4

   3

   2

   1a

   b

   c

   d

   e

   f

   g

   h

   White to play: win material.

   medium · wins ~8 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   g8=Q — g8=Q wins about 8 pawns of material by force: the pawn hits the weak point and Black cannot cover everything. The next best try, g8=R, leaves the position roughly level.

4. Exercise 4: White to play: win material.

   Position (FEN): 6n1/P2r4/8/4R3/8/1k6/6K1/8 w - - 0 1

   8

   7

   6

   5

   4

   3

   2

   1a

   b

   c

   d

   e

   f

   g

   h

   White to play: win material.

   medium · wins ~8 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   a8=Q — a8=Q wins about 8 pawns of material by force: the pawn hits g8 and Black cannot cover everything. The next best try, Re3+, leaves the position roughly level.

5. Exercise 5: White to play: win material.

   Position (FEN): 3n4/6KP/8/8/r1kn4/8/N7/8 w - - 0 1

   8

   7

   6

   5

   4

   3

   2

   1a

   b

   c

   d

   e

   f

   g

   h

   White to play: win material.

   hard · wins ~5 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   h8=Q — h8=Q wins about 5 pawns of material by force: the pawn hits d8 and Black cannot cover everything. The next best try, h8=R, leaves the position roughly level.