Chess Puzzle #44bXe — Beginner, Black to move, opening

Rating 1153 · Beginner · advantage, fork, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen c2; rooks c1/f1; bishop d3; knights c3/f3; pawns a2/b2/d4/e3/f2/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen e7; rooks a8/e8; bishop c8; knights e4/f8; pawns a7/b7/c6/d5/f7/g7/h6. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxe4 — knight c3→e4, captures knight. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: dxe4 — pawn d5→e4, captures knight. Opponent replies Bxe4 (bishop d3→e4, captures pawn).
  3. Best move: Qxe4 — queen e7→e4, captures bishop. Opponent replies Qxe4 (queen c2→e4, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Rxe4 — rook e8→e4, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, fork, long, middlegame. The key move dxe4 wins material.

Position data

FEN: r1b1rnk1/pp2qpp1/2p4p/3p4/3Pn3/2NBPN2/PPQ2PPP/2R2RK1 w - - 0 14

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