Chess Puzzle #2jSe4 — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1410 · Intermediate · advantage, discovered attack, exposed king, fork, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen d3; rooks a1/f1; bishops d6/g2; pawns b2/c3/e4/f3/g3/h4. Black: king h7; queen b6; rooks b8/f8; bishop h6; knight e7; pawns b4/c5/e6/f7/g6. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Bxb8 — bishop d6→b8, captures rook. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: c4+ — pawn c5→c4, gives check. Opponent replies Qd4 (queen d3→d4).
  3. Best move: Be3+ — bishop h6→e3, gives check. Opponent replies Kh2 (king g1→h2).
  4. Best move: Bxd4 — bishop e3→d4, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, discovered attack, exposed king, fork, long, middlegame. The key move is c4+.

Position data

FEN: 1r3r2/4np1k/1q1Bp1pb/2p5/1p2P2P/2PQ1PP1/1P4B1/R4RK1 w - - 1 26

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