Chess Puzzle #31O3Y — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2100 · Expert · advanced pawn, advantage, hanging piece, middlegame, pin, promotion.

Position

White: king h1; queen c2; rooks a1/f1; bishop c1; knight b1; pawns a2/b2/c3/g2/g7/h2. Black: king e8; queen c6; rooks a8/h8; bishops c5/f3; pawns a7/b7/c7/d3/f7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: dxc2 — pawn d3→c2, captures queen. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: gxh8=Q+ — pawn g7→h8, captures rook, promotes to queen, gives check. Opponent replies Kd7 (king e8→d7).
  3. Best move: Qg7 — queen h8→g7.

Tactical themes

advanced pawn, advantage, hanging piece, middlegame, pin, promotion, short. The key move gxh8=Q+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r3k2r/ppp2pPp/2q5/2b5/8/2Pp1b2/PPQ3PP/RNB2R1K b kq - 2 14

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.

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