Chess Puzzle #4KGHQ — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1570 · Intermediate · advantage, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king f1; queen c3; rook g1; bishops b2/d3; pawns a2/d5/e4/f2/h5. Black: king h7; queen e7; rook e8; bishop d6; knight f6; pawns a7/b7/c7/f7/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Be5 — bishop d6→e5. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxe5 — queen c3→e5, captures bishop. Opponent replies Qxe5 (queen e7→e5, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Bxe5 — bishop b2→e5, captures queen. Opponent replies Rxe5 (rook e8→e5, captures bishop).
  4. Best move: f4 — pawn f2→f4.

Tactical themes

advantage, long, middlegame. The key move Qxe5 wins material.

Position data

FEN: 4r3/ppp1qppk/3b1n1p/3P3P/4P3/2QB4/PB3P2/5KR1 b - - 2 21

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