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Practice · levels

Five owl levels, from owlet to wise owl.

Every position of the trainer has exactly one move that wins or holds. How hard it is to find, the tablebase measures: for a win the way to the next capture or pawn move, for a hold the number of moves that lose. That makes five levels – each with an example from our games.

WorksheetEvery click puts together 20 new positions of Levels at random to print – or 10, 30 or 40, 10 a page, with a page of solutions if you like.As a PDF: choose “Save as PDF” in the print window of the browser.
Alexander Alekhine – Goesta Stoltz, 1,942: a puzzle of the level Wise owl – White: Kg6, Qd7, e6; Black: Kc5, Qa18a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

The stairs of the levels

How many puzzles each level holds – for winning and for holding. A click leads to them.

  1. 3,390 3,785 IOwlet
  2. 2,911 6,282 IIYoung owl
  3. 2,772 3,306 IIITawny owl
  4. 1,531 4,054 IVEagle owl
  5. 1,070 963 VWise owl

Find the winSave the game

Find the win 11,674

Exactly one move keeps the win – every other gives it away.

  1. I

    Owlet

    3,390 positions
    Black to move wins – White: Kf6, f3; Black: Kd2, h51h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    The win is close – whoever sees the move has almost brought it home.

    The win is near: at most two moves to the next capture or pawn move.

    Black to move wins · Alexander Alekhine – Vasquez, 1941

    Owlet puzzles →
  2. II

    Young owl

    2,911 positions
    Black to move wins – White: Kf4, Ra8; Black: Kh1, Rd2, h31h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    A few moves to the next capture or pawn move: precision before speed.

    Three to six moves to the next capture or pawn move – or a shorter way among at least 20 wrong moves.

    Black to move wins · Alexander Alekhine – V. Dolinek, 1933

    Young owl puzzles →
  3. III

    Tawny owl

    2,772 positions
    Black to move wins – White: Kc2, Ra3; Black: Ke6, Re5, f61h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    The way grows longer – here the plan counts, not only the calculation.

    Seven to fourteen moves to the next capture or pawn move – or a shorter way among at least 20 wrong moves.

    Black to move wins · Kurt Richter – Alexander Alekhine, 1941

    Tawny owl puzzles →
  4. IV

    Eagle owl

    1,531 positions
    White to move wins – White: Kg5, Rf2, g7; Black: Ke7, Rg38a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Long ways to the goal: whoever knows the basic positions finds them.

    Fifteen to thirty moves to the next capture or pawn move – or a shorter way among at least 20 wrong moves.

    White to move wins · Bobby Fischer – James T. Sherwin, 1958

    Eagle owl puzzles →
  5. V

    Wise owl

    1,070 positions
    White to move wins – White: Kg5, Qf6, g6; Black: Ka4, Qd58a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    The win lies beyond the horizon of any calculation – only technique leads there.

    More than thirty moves to the next capture or pawn move – or a shorter way among at least 20 wrong moves.

    White to move wins · Mikhail Botvinnik – Nikolay N. Minev, 1954

    Wise owl puzzles →

Save the game 18,390

Exactly one move holds the draw – every other loses.

  1. I

    Owlet

    3,785 positions
    Black to move holds the draw – White: Kb7, a5, d5; Black: Kd7, f51h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    The save is close – a calm look is enough.

    At most four moves lose – the saving one is not far.

    Black to move holds the draw · Alexander Alekhine – Max Euwe, 1932

    Owlet puzzles →
  2. II

    Young owl

    6,282 positions
    Black to move holds the draw – White: Kc7, a2, a7; Black: Ke3, f31h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Several moves lose already; the right one has to be looked for.

    Five to eight moves lose, only one holds.

    Black to move holds the draw · Alexander Alekhine – Ratnovsky/Rosenberg/Shkaff, 1928

    Young owl puzzles →
  3. III

    Tawny owl

    3,306 positions
    White to move holds the draw – White: Kb4, Ne5; Black: Kf5, Nd2, h58a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Many ways lead to a loss – only one to the draw.

    Nine to thirteen moves lose, only one holds.

    White to move holds the draw · Mikhail Botvinnik – Vladimir Simagin, 1955

    Tawny owl puzzles →
  4. IV

    Eagle owl

    4,054 positions
    White to move holds the draw – White: Kc6, Rg6, b4; Black: Ke4, Qf18a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Almost every move loses – only a real understanding of the position helps.

    Fourteen to twenty moves lose, only one holds.

    White to move holds the draw · Juan Manuel Fuentes – Alexander Alekhine, 1935

    Eagle owl puzzles →
  5. V

    Wise owl

    963 positions
    Black to move holds the draw – White: Kg6, Qd7, e6; Black: Kc5, Qa11h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    More than twenty moves lose, one holds: the art of defense in its purest form.

    More than twenty moves lose, only one holds.

    Black to move holds the draw · Alexander Alekhine – Goesta Stoltz, 1942

    Wise owl puzzles →

All 30,064 positions · Statistics