Chess Puzzle #1Ybkh — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1934 · Advanced · advantage, defensive move, long, middlegame, quiet move, trapped piece.

Position

White: king g1; queen d3; rooks e1/e3; bishop c4; knight h2; pawns a4/b2/c3/d5/e4/f2/g3. Black: king g8; queen h3; rooks a8/f8; knights f6/g6; pawns a6/b7/c7/d6/e5/f7/g7/h5. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: h4 — pawn h5→h4. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: g4 — pawn g3→g4. Opponent replies Qxh2+ (queen h3→h2, captures knight, gives check).
  3. Best move: Kxh2 — king g1→h2, captures queen. Opponent replies Nxg4+ (knight f6→g4, captures pawn, gives check).
  4. Best move: Kg1 — king h2→g1.

Tactical themes

advantage, defensive move, long, middlegame, quiet move, trapped piece. The key move is g4.

Position data

FEN: r4rk1/1pp2pp1/p2p1nn1/3Pp2p/P1B1P3/2PQR1Pq/1P3P1N/4R1K1 b - - 1 18

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