Chess Puzzle #3Rw4h — Expert, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 2003 · Expert · equality, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen b3; rooks a4/f1; bishop c4; knight d5; pawns a2/b2/e4/f2/g2/h2. Black: king b8; queen f8; rooks d8/h8; bishop d6; knight e7; pawns a6/b5/c6/e5/f7/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxe7 — knight d5→e7, captures knight. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxe7 — queen f8→e7, captures knight. Opponent replies Rxa6 (rook a4→a6, captures pawn).
  3. Best move: Qb7 — queen e7→b7. Opponent replies Bxb5 (bishop c4→b5, captures pawn).
  4. Best move: cxb5 — pawn c6→b5, captures bishop.

Tactical themes

equality, long, middlegame. The key move Qxe7 wins material.

Position data

FEN: 1k1r1q1r/4npp1/p1pb3p/1p1Np3/R1B1P3/1Q6/PP3PPP/5RK1 w - - 0 21

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