Short answer: Lichess puzzles are a good free resource, but on their own they make loose homework. Structured chess homework wins when you want one theme at a time, a fixed amount per day and an easy way to check it. You don't have to pick one: use structure for the core work and free puzzles for variety.
If you coach, you have probably told a student to "go and do some puzzles on Lichess" at least once. It costs nothing and takes ten seconds to say. The question is whether it gets the result you wanted by the next lesson.
This isn't a case against free puzzle sites. They are a great tool. It is a look at what they do well, where the gaps tend to show up for homework specifically, and how to combine them with something more structured.
Are Lichess puzzles good for chess homework?
Yes, they are good practice, and the price is hard to beat. A student can open a puzzle, find the move and get instant feedback, which fits the idea that finding an answer teaches more than being shown one. Lichess also lets students filter puzzles by theme, which is useful when you set it up properly.
The strengths are real:
- It's free, so there's no cost barrier for families
- It works on a phone, tablet or computer
- Students get immediate feedback on every puzzle
- There is a huge supply, so students don't run out
If a student already has an account and the habit, a free puzzle site is a fine place to practice. The gaps below are about how well it works as assigned homework, not about the quality of the puzzles.
Where do free puzzles fall short as homework?
They fall short on control. Homework works best when it is specific, tied to your lesson and easy to check, and an open puzzle stream leaves you to build all of that yourself. Four gaps come up again and again.
1. The task is open-ended
"Do some puzzles" has no finish line. Without a fixed amount, a student might do three and stop, or do forty and burn out. A set with a clear number per day removes the decision.
2. The theme drifts
If you taught pins this week, you want pins in the homework. A mixed stream can serve up something else entirely, and the student can't tell why they're doing it. You can use theme filters to fix this, but it means walking every student through the settings.
3. You can't easily see what was done
Checking usually means asking, "did you do them?" and trusting the answer. If you need to see something, you may need the student to send a screenshot or show you at the start of the lesson. Our guide to checking chess homework without a dashboard covers simple ways to do this.
4. It lives on someone else's site
An account, a login and a website full of other things to click on can be a distraction, particularly for younger students. Printed or offline practice avoids all of that.
What does structured chess homework do differently?
It decides the questions for you in advance. Structured homework is a planned set: one theme, a fixed number of positions per day, and an order that builds from easy to harder. The student opens it, does today's page and stops.
That doesn't make it better in every way. It is less flexible, and a set someone else built won't know your student's weak spots. What it gives you is consistency, which is the thing that tends to be missing when a coach is busy.
| Question | Free puzzle site | Structured homework set |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Varies by product |
| Amount per day | You set it by instruction | Built into the set |
| One theme at a time | Possible with filters, needs setup | Built into the set |
| Checking it was done | Ask, or request a screenshot | Depends on the set |
| Fits your lesson plan | Only if you steer it | Only if the set matches your order |
| Can be printed | Not designed for it | Often, check before buying |
Notice that neither column wins every row. That is why the next section isn't "pick a side".
Want the structure without building it?
Chess Tactics Mastery: Coach Edition gives every student 25 puzzles a day, one theme per month, in an interactive app that works offline or on printable pages. One payment of £97 ($130), unlimited students, no accounts or logins.
How can you use both together?
Use a structured set for the core daily work and a free site for extras. The set keeps the theme and amount consistent, and the free site gives students somewhere to go when they want more. A simple routine looks like this:
- Set the core task from the structured set. One theme, one day's worth, done in a single sitting
- Add an optional bonus. "If you want more, try ten puzzles on the same theme on a free site"
- Keep the bonus optional. The core task is the homework, and the bonus is a treat
- Ask about both at the next lesson. "Which puzzle beat you?" works for either source
This also protects you from a common trap: a keen student who spends an hour a day on random puzzles and never practices the theme you actually taught.
What does this look like in practice?
Here is a made-up example to show the difference. Imagine two students, both told to practice forks this week.
The first is told, "do some fork puzzles on Lichess". They open the site, tweak a few settings, do eight puzzles on Monday, forget on Tuesday, and do a mixed batch on Thursday because the filter reset. By Saturday the practice is a patchwork.
The second is given a set with a fixed number of fork positions per day. They do Monday's page, Tuesday's page and so on. There is nothing to configure and no way to drift. The difference isn't that the second student is more motivated. The task was simply easier to start and easier to finish.
Both are doing real chess. The second route just takes fewer decisions, and fewer decisions is usually what keeps homework alive. If you want to see how much to set in the first place, read how much chess homework you should set.
How do you choose for your own students?
Ask what problem you are trying to solve. If your students already practice happily on a free site, you may not need anything else. If homework is patchy, a structured set is worth trying. Run through these questions:
- Do your students actually do the homework you set now
- Do you struggle to keep the theme matched to your lessons
- Do you want something printable for younger students or families who avoid screens
- Do you want a ready-made order so you spend less time preparing
The more yes answers, the more a structured set will help. For more ways to vary the work, see these 20 chess homework ideas beyond puzzles.
The wider picture is in our complete guide to chess homework for students, and if tactics are your focus, our guide on how to teach chess tactics shows how themes fit together.
FAQ
Are Lichess puzzles good enough for chess homework?
They are good practice and free, so for many students they are enough. The gaps are control: no fixed amount, a theme that can drift, and no simple way for you to check it. Many coaches add structure on top.
What is structured chess homework?
It is a planned set of positions with one theme at a time, a fixed number per day and an order from easier to harder. The student works through it page by page, so there are fewer decisions to make.
Can I use free puzzles and a structured set together?
Yes. Make the structured set the core task and a free site an optional bonus on the same theme. That keeps the work consistent while giving keen students somewhere to go for more.
How do I check puzzles done on a free site?
The simplest ways are asking at the start of the lesson, having the student show you a result screen, or asking them to name one puzzle that beat them. None of these are perfect, but they cost almost nothing.
Is printable homework better than an app?
Neither is better for everyone. Printed pages suit younger students and screen-free homes, while apps give instant feedback. Offering both and letting the family choose often works well.
Do students need an account for structured homework?
It depends on the product. Some need logins and some don't. Chess Tactics Mastery: Coach Edition needs no accounts or logins, which keeps setup simple for families.
Where to go next
Read the complete guide to chess homework for students, or see how Chess Tactics Mastery: Coach Edition gives you structured daily practice for a whole year.
