Chess Puzzle #3DgY2 — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1565 · Intermediate · advantage, attraction, fork, long, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king c1; queen h6; rook d1; bishop a6; knights d5/g1; pawns a3/b2/d4/f3/g2. Black: king e8; queen a5; rooks a8/h8; knight d7; pawns b3/e7/f7/h5/h7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxa6 — rook a8→a6, captures bishop. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxa6 — queen h6→a6, captures rook. Opponent replies Qxa6 (queen a5→a6, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Nc7+ — knight d5→c7, gives check. Opponent replies Kd8 (king e8→d8).
  4. Best move: Nxa6 — knight c7→a6, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, attraction, fork, long, middlegame, sacrifice. The key move Qxa6 wins material.

Position data

FEN: r3k2r/3npp1p/B6Q/q2N3p/3P4/Pp3P2/1P4P1/2KR2N1 b kq - 0 20

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