Chess Puzzle #57VI7 — Intermediate, Black to move, endgame

Rating 1441 · Intermediate · advanced pawn, crushing, endgame, pawn endgame, promotion, quiet move.

Position

White: king f3; pawns a3/c3/f4/h4. Black: king f5; pawns a5/b4/c4/h5. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: axb4 — pawn a3→b4, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: a4 — pawn a5→a4. Opponent replies b5 (pawn b4→b5).
  3. Best move: a3 — pawn a4→a3. Opponent replies b6 (pawn b5→b6).
  4. Best move: a2 — pawn a3→a2. Opponent replies b7 (pawn b6→b7).
  5. Best move: a1=Q — pawn a2→a1, promotes to queen.

Tactical themes

advanced pawn, crushing, endgame, pawn endgame, promotion, quiet move, very long. The key move is a4.

Position data

FEN: 8/8/8/p4k1p/1pp2P1P/P1P2K2/8/8 w - - 0 39

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.

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