A little chess. A lot of logic.
Looking for NYT Capture?
Try an independent Capture-style chess puzzle with original daily boards, unlimited play, and a 300-board library. Not affiliated with The New York Times.
An independent place to play
If you searched for NYT Capture, you may be looking for a short chess capture puzzle with a single surviving king. This site offers its own take on that style: original daily boards, unlimited practice at three sizes, and a numbered library.
The Capture Game is not an official NYT product. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The New York Times, NYT Games, or Chess.com. We do not host their archived boards, use their puzzle feed, or reproduce their artwork or code.
The rules on this site
Our version uses an eight-by-eight board with kings, queens, rooks, bishops, and knights. There are no pawns. Every move takes another piece, each mover can capture at most twice, and the king cannot be taken. A win leaves that king alone.
Rooks, bishops, and queens need a clear path. Knights jump. There is no opponent and no check rule. These are the rules of this site; similar games can use different piece sets or limits. Read the How to play guide if you are moving between versions.
Daily or unlimited?
Choose Daily for the same seven-piece board everyone receives that UTC day. The archive opens every released date from our launch on November 13, 2026. Choose Unlimited for a fresh five-, seven-, or nine-piece board whenever you want another round.
The library's 300 numbered boards stay fixed. All are original generated puzzles checked with a forward solver. We make no claim that each has exactly one solution. You can share a board link or a spoiler-free finish, and an optional account saves daily progress and scores.
Looking for an official service?
For official NYT games, account help, subscriptions, or current product availability, use The New York Times' own Games site. We do not manage those accounts and cannot transfer an official streak here. This site's scores and progress are separate.
Our goal is simple: make this kind of chess logic puzzle easy to keep playing in a browser. Start with the daily board, learn the two-dot capture budget, and use undo while you find the king's final path. The strategy guide shows how to plan that finish.
Capture questions
Is this the official NYT Capture game?
No. The Capture Game is an independent site with original generated puzzles. It is not affiliated with The New York Times, NYT Games, or Chess.com.
Can I play Capture unlimited here?
Yes. Unlimited mode creates original boards with five, seven, or nine pieces. Daily boards and a 300-board library are also free to play.
Are these NYT puzzle answers?
No. Our boards and solutions come from our own generator and solver. They are not answers to another site's daily puzzle.