Save the draw puzzles

You are behind and the position looks lost. There is one way out: a perpetual check, a stalemate trick, or a sequence that wins back enough material to hold.

Saving lost positions turns losses into half points. It is a skill that pays off at every level.

How to spot it

• Look for perpetual check when the enemy king is exposed.
• A king with no moves can be a stalemate resource - give away your last pieces.
• Trading into a known drawn ending is a valid answer.