Tactics by rating
Club tactics from 1000 to 1199
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Use this band as a training level, not a label for the player. The guide explains what the positions demand, how to solve them deliberately, and when you are ready for the next step.
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What this rating band tests
Tactics between 1000 and 1199 often require a setup move rather than an immediate capture. Look for removing a defender, opening a line and forcing a piece onto a vulnerable square.
This local band contains 235 positions. Puzzle ratings measure how often solvers find a position, not your over-the-board strength, and numbers do not transfer exactly between sites. Use the band as a difficulty dial: aim for positions that make you calculate but still let you explain the solution afterwards.
The mistake to watch for
Treating the motif label as a hint to force onto the board. The position decides the move; verify material, king safety and the final recapture instead of pattern-matching blindly.
Common themes in this set
These are the most frequent authored motif guides represented in the band. Learn a pattern first, then return to the mixed trainer so the label is no longer given away.
Three positions to calculate
Do not move immediately. List candidates, calculate the best defence, and state the final result before trying your move on the board.
Position rated 1000
34. Re8+ 34... Nxe8 35. dxe8=Q#Position rated 1113
15... Nf3+ 16. Qxf3 16... Qxf3Position rated 1199
29... Rxd3 30. cxd3 30... Bxg1A focused training routine
- Write two candidate moves before calculating.
- Follow the line until the position becomes quiet.
- Count material in the final position.
- Review missed candidates separately from calculation errors.
When to move up
Move to the next band when you regularly find the first move, can explain the opponent’s best defence, and can reconstruct the final position without guessing. If accuracy collapses, step back for a session and fix the process rather than chasing a larger number.