Chess Puzzle #0hg15 — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1365 · Intermediate · crushing, deflection, endgame, long.

Position

White: king g1; queen h4; rook b8; bishop g5; pawns g2/h3. Black: king f7; queen e6; rook d7; knight c4; pawns d5/e4/f5/g7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: d4 — pawn d5→d4. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qh5+ — queen h4→h5, gives check. Opponent replies Qg6 (queen e6→g6).
  3. Best move: Rf8+ — rook b8→f8, gives check. Opponent replies Kxf8 (king f7→f8, captures rook).
  4. Best move: Qxg6 — queen h5→g6, captures queen.

Tactical themes

crushing, deflection, endgame, long. The key move is Qh5+.

Position data

FEN: 1R6/3r1kp1/4q3/3p1pB1/2n1p2Q/7P/6P1/6K1 b - - 5 42

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