Chess Puzzle #5IXpq — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1426 · Intermediate · advantage, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king h2; queen e2; rook h1; bishop g7; knight f3; pawns a2/b3/d3/f4/g2/h3. Black: king e8; queen d6; rooks b8/h8; knight h6; pawns a6/b6/c5/d5/e6/f7/h5. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rh7 — rook h8→h7. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Be5 — bishop g7→e5. Opponent replies Ng4+ (knight h6→g4, gives check).
  3. Best move: hxg4 — pawn h3→g4, captures knight.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, short. The key move is Be5.

Position data

FEN: 1r2k2r/5pB1/pp1qp2n/2pp3p/5P2/1P1P1N1P/P3Q1PK/7R b k - 0 21

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