Chess Puzzle #3jUC3 — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1233 · Intermediate · advantage, middlegame, pin, short.

Position

White: king c1; queen d2; rooks d1/h1; bishop f1; pawns a2/b2/c4/e4/f4/g2/h2. Black: king e8; queen e7; rooks a8/g8; knight c6; pawns a7/b7/c7/d6/f7/g6/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxe4 — queen e7→e4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Re1 — rook d1→e1. Opponent replies Qxe1+ (queen e4→e1, captures rook, gives check).
  3. Best move: Qxe1+ — queen d2→e1, captures queen, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, pin, short. The key move Qxe1+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r3k1r1/ppp1qp1p/2np2p1/8/2P1PP2/8/PP1Q2PP/2KR1B1R b q - 0 15

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