Win Puzzle Rush and gain rating
Strategy, pacing, and breathing to score higher in Puzzle Rush. Error management and routine to lock tactical patterns and gain rating.
Why Puzzle Rush works
Puzzle Rush mixes volume and speed, forcing you to recognize patterns without long calculation. Perfect to automate forks, pins, skewers, and basic mates.
Formats and rules
Pick a format that fits your level and goal.
- 2-minute (bullet): aim for instant recognition, accept some mistakes.
- 5-minute: balance between speed and short calculation.
- Survival: no clock, 3 strikes, ideal for mental endurance.
Pacing strategy
The objective is flow, not perfection.
- First 60–90 seconds: play obvious motifs in 1–5 seconds.
- If you hesitate > 6 seconds, skip—maximize puzzles seen.
- In Survival, spend 10–15 seconds to confirm after the second strike.
Breathing and focus
Calm heart rate reduces silly mistakes.
- Before starting: 3 deep 4-4-4 breaths (inhale 4s, hold 4s, exhale 4s).
- Micro-pause 2 seconds after each puzzle to reset vision.
- If tilt starts: stop the run, walk 2 minutes, restart later.
Frequent mistakes
Fixing these instantly raises your scores.
- Clicking too fast on reversed motifs (skewer vs pin).
- Missing hidden defenses (rook blocks, intermediate checks).
- Overlooking back-rank mates late in the run due to fatigue.
Weekly training routine
Integrate Puzzle Rush into a coherent progression.
- 3–4 sessions per week, 2–3 runs each.
- Alternate 5-minute and Survival to combine speed and accuracy.
- Track weekly best and one motif you missed.