Chess Puzzle #0P9Wi — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1273 · Intermediate · advantage, fork, master, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king c1; queen e4; rooks d1/g1; bishop h6; knights c3/e2; pawns a2/b2/d5/g3/h4. Black: king h7; queen d7; rooks a8/f2; bishop e7; knights g6/h5; pawns a6/c4/c5/d6/e5. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Kxh6 — king h7→h6, captures bishop. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qe3+ — queen e4→e3, gives check. Opponent replies Kg7 (king h6→g7).
  3. Best move: Qxf2 — queen e3→f2, captures rook.

Tactical themes

advantage, fork, master, middlegame, short. The key move is Qe3+.

Position data

FEN: r7/3qb2k/p2p2nB/2pPp2n/2p1Q2P/2N3P1/PP2Nr2/2KR2R1 b - - 1 30

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