Puzzle theme

Clearance Puzzles

1,000+ free clearance puzzles in the library

Moving a piece to make room for another piece to use that square or line.

Every puzzle below comes from a real game where this exact idea decided the outcome. Solve them right here in your browser — hints and full solutions included, no account needed.

Why it works

The cleared square or line enables a stronger attack.

What to look for

Look for pieces blocking your other pieces from ideal squares.

See the pattern

Chess diagram: a white knight on d5 blocks its own rook's path to the black queen on d8
White to move. 1.Nf6+! clears the d-file with check — after gxf6, Rxd8 wins the queen the knight was standing in front of.

Solve clearance puzzles now

Real positions from the library, filtered to this theme. Pick a difficulty and find the best move.

Clearance puzzles: frequently asked questions

What are Clearance puzzles?

Moving a piece to make room for another piece to use that square or line. Every puzzle on this page is a position from a real game where exactly this idea decides the outcome.

Why does this pattern work?

The cleared square or line enables a stronger attack.

What should I look for in Clearance puzzles?

Look for pieces blocking your other pieces from ideal squares.

Are these Clearance puzzles free?

Yes — the trainer on this page pulls from 1,000+ clearance positions in the Blunders library and is free to use in your browser, no account or download required. A free account adds progress tracking and puzzles built from your own games.

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Blunders analyzes the games you actually play and turns your mistakes into puzzles like these. Thousands of puzzles and opening training are free. The free account needs no credit card — Pro is optional.