Hanging piece

What is a hanging piece?

A hanging piece is undefended, or not defended well enough, so it can be taken for free. It sounds too simple to be a puzzle, but in real games chances like these are missed all the time, by both players.

Experienced players take a quick inventory after every move: what did the last move attack, and which pieces are undefended? It's a simple habit, and it pays off in every game.

Sometimes it isn't as simple as it looks. The piece may be bait, or there may be something even better than taking right away. Calculate before you take: what can your opponent do next?

How the puzzles work

There are 150 puzzles here. Choose a level above the board. Within each level the puzzles get harder and harder, and when you come back you pick up where you left off.

Your opponent makes the first move, then it's your turn. If you get stuck, Hint shows which piece to move, and Show the solution plays the rest. The theme only shows once the puzzle is done, but here you already know what you're looking for.

In Puzzle training you get puzzles in this theme at your own level, and see how you're doing in each theme.

More puzzles

• Mate in one
• Mate in two
• Mate in three
• Fork
• Pin
• Skewer
• Discovered attack
• Double check
• Sacrifice
• Deflection
• Attraction
• In-between move
• Back-rank mate
• Smothered mate
• Promotion
• Endgame
• Rook endgames
• Pawn endgames
• Zugzwang

The puzzles come from Lichess, fetched on October 2, 2026.

Updated November 6, 2026