Chess Puzzle #3UT7W — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1713 · Advanced · crushing, long, middlegame, pin.

Position

White: king b1; queen h4; rook g1; bishop b3; knight g5; pawns a2/b2/c2/f2/h2. Black: king f8; queen f6; rooks d8/e8; bishop b7; pawns a7/b5/c5/e6/f7/g7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qh6 — queen f6→h6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nh7+ — knight g5→h7, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king f8→g8).
  3. Best move: Qxh6 — queen h4→h6, captures queen. Opponent replies Rd1+ (rook d8→d1, gives check).
  4. Best move: Rxd1 — rook g1→d1, captures rook.

Tactical themes

crushing, long, middlegame, pin. The key move is Nh7+.

Position data

FEN: 3rrk2/pb3pp1/4pq2/1pp3N1/7Q/1B6/PPP2P1P/1K4R1 b - - 1 23

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