Chess Puzzle #12Oz9 — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1001 · Beginner · advantage, fork, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king c1; queen g5; rook h8; bishop g6; knight c5; pawns a2/b2/c3/d4/f3/g2. Black: king f8; queen c7; rook c8; knights f6/g8; pawns a4/b5/d5/e6/f7/g7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: fxg6 — pawn f7→g6, captures bishop. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nxe6+ — knight c5→e6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kf7 (king f8→f7).
  3. Best move: Nxc7 — knight e6→c7, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, fork, middlegame, short. The key move Nxe6+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 2r2knR/2q2pp1/4pnB1/1pNp2Q1/p2P4/2P2P2/PP4P1/2K5 b - - 0 25

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