Discover the Magic of Chess Solving With GM Kacper Piorun’s Lichess Study!
The internet has revolutionised the way we learn, offering a vast array of resources at our fingertips. However, with so many options available, it is now all the more essential to be discerning about where we invest our time. The online chess community is awash with courses promising rapid improvement, but frankly, few live up to the hype. Today, we are thrilled to introduce you to a rare exception: a free, high-quality resource that is truly worth its weight in gold. We are talking about a Lichess study created by Polish Grandmaster Kacper Piorun. Meticulously crafted, it is titled My World of Solving Magic. For those unfamiliar, Kacper is not just any Grandmaster—he is the reigning and multiple-time world champion in chess solving. And in this Lichess study, he delivers exactly what you would expect and more: a glimpse into his approach to solving.
Learn How to Solve from the World Champion of Solving!
Most chess players can only dream of earning a Grandmaster title. Kacper Piorun, however, holds two—one for over-the-board play and another for chess solving. But that is not all. Kacper has been in the form of his life lately, winning the World Chess Solving Championship (WCSC), the European Chess Solving Championship (ECSC), and the Polish Solving Championship, all in the same year. In addition, he has been actively streaming on Twitch and playing chess both online and over the board. Few are better qualified to create instructive chess content. Naturally, when he shared his Lichess study with me, I knew right away it was going to be something special!
...And special it was. With 23 positions spread across 50 chapters, Kacper equips newcomers with all the essentials for tackling a solving contest—covering everything from orthodox directmates and endgames to helpmates and selfmates, even occasionally touching on retro-themed puzzles. Now, let us turn to some of these positions. Here is a brief preview of what awaits you.
Position #01
Leonid Kubbel, Shakhmatnyy listok, 1923
Evocatively titled David Versus Goliath, the gem above by Karl Artur Leonid Kubbel appears in the 29th chapter of the study. White has six mobile units, but paradoxically, there is a way to freeze the game into a stalemate. Can you see how? Look for a forcing sequence as Black vastly outguns White!
Position #02
H.W. Bettmann / E. Bettmann / J. Bettman, Morning Chronicle, 1882
The 8th chapter, titled Pins and Batteries, features the above two-mover by the Bettmann brothers—Henry, Jacob, and Edgar. The rook on a2 and the bishop on a6 are lined up against the enemy king, but how can White make the most of this setup?
Position #03
Karel Musil, Světozor, 1889
This elegant Bohemian problem, featuring beautiful model mate finishes, was presented in this year's International Solving Contest (Category 2). Kacper includes it under the title Magic of Sacrifices in chapters 21–24.
Position #04
Gerold Schaffner, The Problemist, 2019
Time for a couple of heterodox problems! If you are unfamiliar, a helpmate is a type of chess problem where Black moves first, and both sides work together to deliver checkmate to the black king within the specified number of moves. Cracking this one is sure to bring a smile to your face!
Position #05
Nikolaj Zujev, The Hopper Magazine, 2024
In contrast, a selfmate is a chess problem where White moves first and forces Black to deliver checkmate to the white king within the stipulated number of moves. This one may seem tricky, but the solution is well within reach!
Solutions?
To keep the mystery alive, we will not reveal the solutions here—they are anyway all beautifully laid out in the Lichess study. Just click on the hyperlink!
The above are just five of my favorite compositions from the course, but there’s much more to explore. The study features many other fascinating positions by greats like Sam Loyd, Alois Johandl, Jan Rusinek, Godfrey Heathcote, and more.
...But in case you are still not intrigued, let me leave you with one more (bonus) puzzle—just a simple mate in one.
Bror Larsson, Tidskrift för Schack, 1940
How many solutions do you see? ;)
