Chess Puzzle #07RTG — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1363 · Intermediate · advantage, attraction, fork, long, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king g1; queen f3; rooks b1/f1; knight g6; pawns c3/d4/e5/f4/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen a4; rooks a8/d8; knight c6; pawns a5/b6/c7/e6/f5/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qc4 — queen a4→c4. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxc6 — queen f3→c6, captures knight. Opponent replies Qxc6 (queen c4→c6, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Ne7+ — knight g6→e7, gives check. Opponent replies Kh7 (king g8→h7).
  4. Best move: Nxc6 — knight e7→c6, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, attraction, fork, long, middlegame, sacrifice. The key move Qxc6 wins material.

Position data

FEN: r2r2k1/2p3p1/1pn1p1Np/p3Pp2/q2P1P2/2P2Q1P/6P1/1R3RK1 b - - 0 22

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