Chess Puzzle #25JW7 — Advanced, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1601 · Advanced · advantage, fork, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king e1; queen d1; rooks a1/h1; bishops c1/g4; knight b3; pawns a2/c2/c3/e4/f2/h2. Black: king e8; queen h4; rooks a8/h8; bishops e6/g7; knight d7; pawns a6/d6/e5/f7/h7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Bxe6 — bishop g4→e6, captures bishop. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxe4+ — queen h4→e4, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Be3 (bishop c1→e3).
  3. Best move: Qxh1+ — queen e4→h1, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Ke2 (king e1→e2).
  4. Best move: Qxd1+ — queen h1→d1, captures queen, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, fork, long, middlegame. The key move Qxe4+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r3k2r/3n1pbp/p2pb3/4p3/4P1Bq/1NP5/P1P2P1P/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 3 14

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