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Zugzwang puzzles

Your opponent has to move, and every move they have makes their position worse.

It matters most in endgames, where a quiet waiting move can be the winning one. The question is not "what do I threaten" but "what happens when they must move".

8 real puzzles from games on Lichess, easiest first, rated 703 to 2688. The course has 310 zugzwang puzzles in all.

Puzzle 1 · rated 703

♙♟♔♙♟♙♙♚♟

White just played Kf4. Black to move.

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70... Kxd6 71. Ke4 Ke6

Puzzle 2 · rated 1091

♙♚♟♔♙♟

White just played e4. Black to move.

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52... Kd4 53. e5 Kd5

Puzzle 3 · rated 1431

♔♙♙♙♟♙♙♟♟♚♟♟

White just played Ke3. Black to move.

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38... Ke5 39. Kf3 Kf5

Puzzle 4 · rated 1734

♙♙♙♙♔♙♙♟♟♟♚♟

White just played b3. Black to move.

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47... c3 48. b4 Kc4

Puzzle 5 · rated 2006

♟♚♟♙♟♟♟♙♔♙♙♙

Black just played axb4. White to move.

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34. axb4 h4 35. f4 g4 36. hxg4

Puzzle 6 · rated 2179

♝♙♔♙♙♟♚♙♟♘♟♟

White just played Nb6. Black to move.

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45... Bxb6 46. axb6 d5 47. exd5 Kxd5 48. Kc3 Kc6

Puzzle 7 · rated 2371

♔♙♙♙♙♙♟♟♙♚♟♟♟♟

White just played Kb2. Black to move.

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45... h5 46. Kc3 Kxa3

Puzzle 8 · rated 2688

♙♙♔♟♟♚

White just played Kf3. Black to move.

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49... Ke5 50. g4 h4 51. Ke3 g5

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Puzzles from the Lichess puzzle database (CC0). Every line was replayed move by move by the course's rules engine. Part of Chess Path, a free chess course. Free coach for your Chess.com and Lichess games.