Chess Puzzle #1XnGC — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1505 · Intermediate · advantage, deflection, discovered attack, long, middlegame, pin.

Position

White: king g1; queen f2; rooks a1/f1; bishop g5; knight f7; pawns a2/b2/d3/g2/h2. Black: king d7; queen c5; rooks a8/f8; bishop g7; knight d4; pawns a7/b6/e5. White is ahead by 2 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rac1 — rook a1→c1. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Ne2+ — knight d4→e2, gives check. Opponent replies Kh1 (king g1→h1).
  3. Best move: Qxf2 — queen c5→f2, captures queen. Opponent replies Rxf2 (rook f1→f2, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Nxc1 — knight e2→c1, captures rook.

Tactical themes

advantage, deflection, discovered attack, long, middlegame, pin. The key move is Ne2+.

Position data

FEN: r4r2/p2k1Nb1/1p6/2q1p1B1/3n4/3P4/PP3QPP/R4RK1 w - - 3 22

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