Schach-Rätsel (Süddeutsche Zeitung)

About Schach-Rätsel (Süddeutsche Zeitung)

Each day the SZ puzzle site shows a new chess position under the line Sie sind am Zug, it is your move. The task is to find the best continuation from the position on the board, as in the chess columns that newspapers have run for decades, but played on screen.

The puzzles come with tips from Stefan Kindermann, a German chess grandmaster, which help when the right idea does not show itself. Every puzzle is numbered (number 1189 appeared on 2 October 2026) and dated, and the overview page lists earlier days as well.

The puzzle is behind the paper's paywall, so you need SZ Plus to play. The same section offers daily Str8ts, sudoku, futoshiki, a crossword and a German Wordle.

It suits club players and casual players alike who want one well-chosen position a day with a grandmaster's guidance.

How to play Schach-Rätsel (Süddeutsche Zeitung)

1. Open the Schach-Rätsel on the SZ puzzle site and log in with SZ Plus.
2. Study the position and note whose move it is.
3. Look for checks, captures and threats first.
4. Make your move on the board.
5. Use the grandmaster's tip if you are stuck, then play on until the puzzle is solved.

Tips

• Check every forcing move, checks first, before quieter ideas.
• Ask what your opponent threatens; the answer often points to the solution.
• Read the tip only after you have a candidate move, to test your idea.
• Use the overview to play days you missed.

Questions