Chess Puzzle #3AdQZ — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1983 · Advanced · equality, middlegame, short, trapped piece.

Position

White: king h1; queen d1; rooks a1/g1; bishops c2/g5; knight e2; pawns a4/b2/c3/f3/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen f2; rooks a8/f8; bishops b7/g7; knight h4; pawns a6/d4/e6/f7/g6/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxf3 — knight h4→f3, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rf1 — rook g1→f1. Opponent replies Qxf1+ (queen f2→f1, captures rook, gives check).
  3. Best move: Qxf1 — queen d1→f1, captures queen.

Tactical themes

equality, middlegame, short, trapped piece. The key move is Rf1.

Position data

FEN: r4rk1/1b3pbp/p3p1p1/6B1/P2p3n/2P2P2/1PB1NqPP/R2Q2RK b - - 1 19

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