Daily chess puzzle - hints and answers for Sunday, November 8, 2026
This chess puzzle comes from a Rapid game on Lichess between KangHeri (2,005) and mnel84 (1,958). White to move, and the position holds a decisive tactic for white. Lichess rates the puzzle 1,882, which sits in our Hard band. Work the ladder below: the board first, then hints that give away a little more with each step down the ladder.
Step 1 - The setup
From a Rapid game (10+0) on Lichess between KangHeri (2,005) and mnel84 (1,958). The position comes 37 half-moves into the game, right after Black played Qxe4. White to move.
Puzzle from a real game played on Lichess (CC0): KangHeri (2,005) vs mnel84 (1,958). Play it on Lichess · See the full game
Step 2 - The idea
What kind of tactic is hiding in the position.
The theme is skewer: an attack on a valuable piece forces it to move and wins the piece hiding behind it.
Step 3 - The piece
Which piece makes the key move.
Your rook is the piece that starts the tactic.
Step 4 - The first move
The first move of the line, in standard notation.
Rf4 - the rook moves from f1 to f4.
Step 5 - The solution
The full line, move by move - and a stepper that walks the board through it.
19. Rf4 Qc2 20. Rxd4 - 3 moves.
The line ends with white decisively ahead - on Lichess the puzzle stops here because the win is clear.