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

Rating 1230 · Intermediate · crushing, endgame, master, very long.

Position

White: king h1; queen g4; rook f1; pawns c4/d5/f5/g2/h4. Black: king g7; queen d6; rook a2; pawns a7/b6/c7/f6/f7/g5. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Kh6 — king g7→h6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: hxg5+ — pawn h4→g5, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies fxg5 (pawn f6→g5, captures pawn).
  3. Best move: Qh3+ — queen g4→h3, gives check. Opponent replies Kg7 (king h6→g7).
  4. Best move: f6+ — pawn f5→f6, gives check. Opponent replies Qxf6 (queen d6→f6, captures pawn).
  5. Best move: Rxf6 — rook f1→f6, captures queen.

Tactical themes

crushing, endgame, master, very long. The key move hxg5+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 8/p1p2pk1/1p1q1p2/3P1Pp1/2P3QP/8/r5P1/5R1K b - - 0 25

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