Chess Puzzle #4mm9A — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1068 · Beginner · advantage, fork, opening, short.

Position

White: king e1; queen e5; rooks a1/h1; bishop f1; knight d5; pawns a2/b2/c4/e4/f2/g2/h2. Black: king e8; queen d8; rooks a8/h8; bishops c8/f8; knight e7; pawns a6/b6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Be6 — bishop c8→e6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nc7+ — knight d5→c7, gives check. Opponent replies Qxc7 (queen d8→c7, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Qxc7 — queen e5→c7, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, fork, opening, short. The key move is Nc7+.

Position data

FEN: r1bqkb1r/4nppp/pp6/3NQ3/2P1P3/8/PP3PPP/R3KB1R b KQkq - 2 11

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