Chess Puzzle #5NXU5 — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1644 · Advanced · advantage, exposed king, fork, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen g5; rooks d1/g6; knight g3; pawns a3/b2/c3/d3/e4/f3/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen f7; rooks d8/f8; bishops c6/g7; pawns a6/b7/c4/e5/e6. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxd3 — rook d8→d3, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxd3 — rook d1→d3, captures rook. Opponent replies Be8 (bishop c6→e8).
  3. Best move: Rxg7+ — rook g6→g7, captures bishop, gives check. Opponent replies Qxg7 (queen f7→g7, captures rook).
  4. Best move: Qxg7+ — queen g5→g7, captures queen, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, exposed king, fork, long, middlegame. The key move Rxg7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 3r1rk1/1p3qb1/p1b1p1R1/4p1Q1/2p1P3/P1PP1PN1/1P4PP/3R2K1 b - - 1 25

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