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

Rating 1373 · Intermediate · advantage, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen f3; rook b1; bishop e2; knight e3; pawns a2/e4/f2/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen e5; rook f8; bishop a6; knight f6; pawns a7/c5/e7/f7/g6/h5. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxe4 — queen e5→e4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxe4 — queen f3→e4, captures queen. Opponent replies Nxe4 (knight f6→e4, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Bxa6 — bishop e2→a6, captures bishop.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, short. The key move Qxe4 wins material.

Position data

FEN: 5rk1/p3pp2/b4np1/2p1q2p/4P3/4NQ1P/P3BPP1/1R4K1 b - - 0 23

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