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

Rating 1611 · Advanced · crushing, exposed king, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen a4; rook f1; bishop d2; knights a3/g5; pawns d4/e5/f2/g2/h3. Black: king d8; queen a1; rooks a8/h8; bishops f8/g4; knight h6; pawns a7/b7/d5/e6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 7 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qa2 — queen a1→a2. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Ba5+ — bishop d2→a5, gives check. Opponent replies b6 (pawn b7→b6).
  3. Best move: Bxb6+ — bishop a5→b6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies axb6 (pawn a7→b6, captures bishop).
  4. Best move: Qxa8+ — queen a4→a8, captures rook, gives check.

Tactical themes

crushing, exposed king, long, middlegame. The key move Bxb6+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r2k1b1r/pp3ppp/4p2n/3pP1N1/Q2P2b1/N6P/3B1PP1/q4RK1 b - - 1 15

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