First page of the PDF Chess Workbook Level 5 with Answers

Chess Workbook Level 5 with Answers

ages 9–12 · 48 puzzles · answers and explanations

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Plans, structure and defense. Plans and structure: using pawns, outposts, rooks on open files, defence and saving draws, rook and bishop endgames. Level 5 roughly matches Step 5 of the Steps Method.

What this level covers

  1. Time and tactics
  2. Pawn
  3. Rooks and open files
  4. Attack, defense and draws
  5. More endgames
  6. More strategy

Try a few positions now

How to read the diagrams
  • Yellow square: the piece to move (the "glowing piece" in the question).
  • Stars: squares you could move to; only one is right.
  • Letters A, B, C on squares: the options to choose from.
  • Arrow: the last move, or a move the question gives you.
  • Red square: a piece under attack.
  • Blue square: a piece or square to watch.

Time and tactics

White to move

The glowing queen moves first. Trade pieces in the right order!

Show answer

Answer: 1.♕xd5 exd5 2.♘xe5

Why: Trade queens first so the black queen can't take back, then the knight takes the knight on e5: you're a knight up.

Attack, defense and draws

White to move

The glowing piece needs to be careful. Which of your pieces is being threatened?

A ♕e2B ♘c3C ♗xf7+
Show answer

Answer: A (♕e2) · 1.♕e2 ♕e7 2.♘f3 ♘c6

Why: The queen moves up to e2 to guard the knight on e5 and shield the king. Developing pieces is good, but first you must look at which piece is being threatened.

More strategy

White to moveABC

Which black piece is trapped with no squares to run to? Tap that piece!

A h7B g8C a8
Show answer

Answer: A (h7) · 1.♖f7 ♖ae8 2.♖xh7

Why: The bishop on h7 is blocked in by the pawn on f5 and Black's own pawn on h5. The white rook goes to f7 to attack the bishop, and Black can't save it.

Pawn

Black to move

The glowing pawn has three moves. Choose the best one!

A fxe4+B f4C c5
Show answer

Answer: A (fxe4+) · 1…fxe4+ 2.♔xe4 ♖e1+

Why: The pawn takes on e4 with check. If the white king takes back, the black rook checks on e1, and black attacks first.

Theme worksheets with puzzles from this level

Keep practising in the Karotto app

Each theme above is a lesson in the app's chess course, with a voice that reads every question, hints when your child is stuck, and a replay of the opponent's answer after a wrong move.

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