Minute Chess
Rate itOne chess puzzle a day, one minute on the clock: find the winning move and climb the day's leaderboard.
on minutechess.com
Minute Chess sets one dated chess position each day. Find the winning move before the minute runs out, then read a coach's breakdown of why it works. Play needs a free account; a paid membership adds the past week's puzzles and puzzle themes.
About Minute Chess
Minute Chess is a daily chess puzzle for the browser and iPhone, from Made By Maisie. Its site sums it up as one puzzle, one minute: each day brings a new position headed with the day's date and whose move it is. You press Play and have a minute to find the winning move.
After your move, an expert breakdown walks through the solution so you learn why the best move works, not only that it does. A coach tip is there if you are stuck, and your score depends on speed and accuracy. A streak counts the days in a row you have played, and a row under the board shows the puzzles of the last seven days.
The leaderboard has Today, This Week and All Time tabs, and the Today tab ranks every solver of the day's puzzle with a title from Competitor up to Grandmaster. The site also has coach tips, puzzles by theme such as forks and pins, and a way to create your own puzzle.
The board shows before you sign in, but pressing Play leads to a sign-up: the daily needs a free account. A founding membership (a two-week free trial, then 3.99 pounds a month in October 2026) adds the past week's puzzles, the puzzle themes, a members leaderboard and a weekly lesson by email.
How to play Minute Chess
- Open today's puzzle and note whose move it is.
- Press Play and sign in or create a free account if asked.
- Find and play the winning move before the one-minute clock runs out, using a coach tip if you are stuck.
- Read the expert breakdown of the solution.
- Check your rank on the Today leaderboard and come back tomorrow to keep your streak.
Screenshots
Tips
- Look for checks, captures and threats first; daily tactics usually start with a forcing move.
- Read the position before pressing Play if the app lets you, since the clock is short.
- A hint costs score, so try a candidate move in your head before asking.
- Use the past puzzle library to practise patterns between days.
Questions
Is it the same puzzle for everyone?
Yes. Each puzzle is dated, and the Today leaderboard ranks everyone who solved that day's puzzle.
How long do I have?
About a minute: the site calls it one puzzle, one minute.
Can I play in a browser?
Yes, at minutechess.com, as well as in the iPhone app.
Do I need an account?
Yes. The day's board shows without one, but pressing Play asks you to sign up, by email or with Apple. The free plan is enough for the daily puzzle.
Is it free?
The daily puzzle is free with an account. A paid membership, 3.99 pounds a month after a two-week trial when we looked, adds the past week's puzzles, the themes and a weekly lesson.
Do I learn the solution?
Yes. After your move, an expert breakdown explains the best line.
Ratings and reviews
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