Level 1 · 8 min · 12 puzzles
The 10-second blunder check
Four quick questions before every move.
- 1What did their last move do?
- 2What is unprotected — mine and theirs?
- 3Any checks, captures or threats?
- 4Does my move leave anything hanging?
Practise it
Puzzle 1 of 12
White to move
Find the best move.
Black just moved the rook from a8 to a3.
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
- 1What did their last move do?
- 2What is unprotected, mine and theirs?
- 3Checks, captures, threats — then check my move leaves nothing hanging.
The longer explanation
Four questions, before every move. 1. What did my opponent’s last move do? 2. Is anything of mine, or of theirs, unprotected? 3. Can I give a check, make a capture, or make a threat? 4. After the move I want to play: does it leave something hanging?
Why it is mixed up here. In a real game nobody tells you whether you can win a piece or must save one. So from here on the positions are mixed, and the prompt only says whose move it is. Run the four questions and see what you find.