Chess Puzzle #32KNR — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1500 · Intermediate · advantage, long, middlegame, pin.

Position

White: king g1; queen g5; rooks d1/f3; knight h6; pawns a2/b2/c3/e3/g2/h4. Black: king g7; queen e8; rooks a8/f8; bishop d6; pawns a7/b6/d5/f5/g6/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qe7 — queen e8→e7. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nxf5+ — knight h6→f5, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf5 (rook f8→f5, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Rxf5 — rook f3→f5, captures rook. Opponent replies Qxg5 (queen e7→g5, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Rxg5 — rook f5→g5, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, long, middlegame, pin. The key move Nxf5+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r3qr2/p5kp/1p1b2pN/3p1pQ1/7P/2P1PR2/PP4P1/3R2K1 b - - 4 24

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