Chess Puzzle #11bRn — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1500 · Intermediate · crushing, long, middlegame, quiet move.

Position

White: king g1; queen f3; rooks c1/f1; knight c3; pawns a3/b4/c4/d5/f2/g3. Black: king g8; queen h3; rook f8; bishop e4; knight f4; pawns a6/b6/c7/d6/e5/g7/h6. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxe4 — knight c3→e4, captures bishop. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Rf5 — rook f8→f5. Opponent replies Rfe1 (rook f1→e1).
  3. Best move: Rh5 — rook f5→h5. Opponent replies gxf4 (pawn g3→f4, captures knight).
  4. Best move: Qxf3 — queen h3→f3, captures queen.

Tactical themes

crushing, long, middlegame, quiet move. The key move is Rf5.

Position data

FEN: 5rk1/2p3p1/pp1p3p/3Pp3/1PP1bn2/P1N2QPq/5P2/2R2RK1 w - - 0 40

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