Chess Puzzle #04oyz — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1687 · Advanced · advantage, fork, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen c1; rooks a1/h1; bishop f3; knight a4; pawns a2/c3/g3. Black: king e8; queen e4; rooks d8/f6; bishop e6; pawns a6/b7/e5/e7/f7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxf3 — rook f6→f3, captures bishop. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rh8+ — rook h1→h8, gives check. Opponent replies Kd7 (king e8→d7).
  3. Best move: Nc5+ — knight a4→c5, gives check. Opponent replies Kc7 (king d7→c7).
  4. Best move: Nxe4 — knight c5→e4, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, fork, long, middlegame. The key move is Rh8+.

Position data

FEN: 3rk3/1p2pp2/p3br2/4p3/N3q3/2P2BP1/P7/R1Q3KR b - - 0 26

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