Chess Puzzle #3H5ej — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1232 · Intermediate · crushing, endgame, long, pin.

Position

White: king g2; rooks d1/e2; bishop f3; pawns f2/g3/h3. Black: king g8; queen b1; knight c6; pawns a7/b7/c7/f7/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qf5 — queen b1→f5. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Re8+ — rook e2→e8, gives check. Opponent replies Kh7 (king g8→h7).
  3. Best move: Be4 — bishop f3→e4. Opponent replies Qxe4+ (queen f5→e4, captures bishop, gives check).
  4. Best move: Rxe4 — rook e8→e4, captures queen.

Tactical themes

crushing, endgame, long, pin. The key move is Re8+.

Position data

FEN: 6k1/ppp2pp1/2n4p/8/8/5BPP/4RPK1/1q1R4 b - - 0 23

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