Chess Puzzle #52Opv — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1949 · Advanced · equality, middlegame, very long.

Position

White: king g2; queen g4; rook h1; bishops a4/h4; knights c3/e2; pawns a2/b2/f4/h2. Black: king e8; queen e3; rooks a8/h8; bishop f8; knights a1/g8; pawns a7/b7/c6/e4/e7/f7/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 6 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: b5 — pawn b7→b5. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nxb5 — knight c3→b5, captures pawn. Opponent replies Qf3+ (queen e3→f3, gives check).
  3. Best move: Qxf3 — queen g4→f3, captures queen. Opponent replies exf3+ (pawn e4→f3, captures queen, gives check).
  4. Best move: Kxf3 — king g2→f3, captures pawn. Opponent replies cxb5 (pawn c6→b5, captures knight).
  5. Best move: Bxb5+ — bishop a4→b5, captures pawn, gives check.

Tactical themes

equality, middlegame, very long. The key move Bxb5+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r3kbnr/pp2ppp1/2p4p/8/B3pPQB/2N1q3/PP2N1KP/n6R b kq - 3 13

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