Chess Attack

About Chess Attack

Chess Attack is one of Sporcle's daily games, edited by Eric Hill. Each puzzle is numbered and dated, and a new one is made every day; puzzle 170 fell on 2 October 2026.

Instead of a full board, the game is played on a 6 by 6 grid. You get a set of chess pieces for the day and play against the computer, with the aim of checkmating its king in as few moves as possible. Standard moves apply with a few simplifications: there is no castling or en passant, and pawns always promote to a queen. If your king is left with only pawns and survives ten moves, or neither side has enough material to mate, the game is a draw. You can resign at any time.

Your moves count across the day, and only the first game of the day is logged in your stats, so the score is your number of moves to win. Results can be shared.

It suits chess players who want a short tactical workout, and puzzle players who know how the pieces move but do not want a full game. It is free on the web, with ads unless you subscribe to Sporcle.

How to play Chess Attack

1. Open the day's Chess Attack on sporcle.com.
2. Tap one of your pieces, then tap a highlighted square to move it.
3. Play against the computer's replies and work toward checkmate in as few moves as you can.
4. Remember: no castling, no en passant, and pawns promote to a queen.
5. Checkmate the king to finish, then share your move count.

Tips

• Only the first game each day counts, so plan before you move.
• On a 6 by 6 board the enemy king has little room; push it toward an edge early.
• Promoting a pawn gives you a queen, which often settles the game.

Questions