For players
Which category should you start with?
Six categories, from Beginner to Grandmaster. How to pick yours, how to tell it is right, and when to move up.
1 min read
ChessPeak has six categories, from Beginner to Grandmaster. Each one covers a band of puzzle ratings on the Lichess scale: Beginner under 1000, Intermediate 1000–1400, Advanced 1400–1800, Expert 1800–2200, Master 2200–2600 and Grandmaster 2600 and up.
- 1Each category card shows its rating band
Your puzzle level is not your game rating
Your rating in games and your level in puzzles are not the same thing. If you are not sure, start one category lower than you think. The first levels go quickly, you lose nothing, and you find out where the puzzles start to make you think.
Signs you are in the right place
- You solve most puzzles on the first try, but not all of them.
- Some puzzles make you think for a minute or more.
- The last levels of a mountain feel genuinely hard.
When to move up
When you solve nearly everything on the first try, and quickly, try the next category. You do not have to leave the old one: progress in every mountain is saved, and you can climb in two categories at once.
If you have a Lichess account, connect it. It unlocks personalized mountains, built from the puzzles you miss here and on Lichess.