♞ Daily Chess Puzzle

Every day brings a new hand-picked chess position with one clean idea: find the move that ends it. Our daily chess puzzle is a quick mate-in-one (with tougher days mixed in) you can solve in under a minute — a perfect morning warm-up or a calm break.

How to play

1. Find the move that delivers immediate checkmate.
2. Any move that mates counts — there's no single trick to guess.
3. Sign in and your solve time joins the daily leaderboard.

A new puzzle every day

Missed one? Browse past chess puzzle puzzles, or see all of today's daily puzzles. It's free, kid-safe, and plays right in your browser — no app, no sign-up. Sign in to save your streak and climb the leaderboard.

Common questions

Is the daily chess puzzle really free?

Yes — every day's puzzle is free, with no account, app, or download required. It plays right in your browser on phone or desktop. Signing in is optional and only exists to save your streak and put your solve time on the leaderboard.

How hard are the puzzles?

Most days are a clean mate-in-one: one move ends the game. Difficulty varies through the week — some positions the mate jumps out at you, others hide the idea behind a sacrifice or a quiet piece. If any legal move delivers mate, it counts.

Can I play yesterday's puzzle?

Yes. The archive keeps every past Zip Mate playable — you just won't land on the live daily leaderboard for an old date. For unlimited untimed chess puzzles, Practice mode has you covered.