Chess Puzzle #04fWN — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1258 · Intermediate · crushing, deflection, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen f3; rooks d1/f1; bishop b6; pawns a2/b2/f2/g2/h2. Black: king e8; queen d7; rooks b8/h8; bishop f8; knight f6; pawns e6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qb7 — queen d7→b7. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rd8+ — rook d1→d8, gives check. Opponent replies Rxd8 (rook b8→d8, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qxb7 — queen f3→b7, captures queen.

Tactical themes

crushing, deflection, middlegame, short. The key move is Rd8+.

Position data

FEN: 1r2kb1r/3q1ppp/1B2pn2/8/8/5Q2/PP3PPP/3R1RK1 b k - 6 21

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Puzzle data from the Lichess puzzle database (CC0). Analysis powered by Stockfish 18 in your browser.