Chess Puzzle #6D1AB — Expert, Black to move, middlegame

Position

White: king c1; queen c3; rooks d3/f4; bishop g2; knight c7; pawns a3/b2/c4/e2/g3/h2. Black: king g8; queen c5; rooks a8/f7; bishop e6; knight d5; pawns a4/b7/c6/f5/g7/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxe6 — knight c7→e6, captures bishop. Now Black to move.
2. Best move: Qg1+ — queen c5→g1, gives check. Opponent replies Rf1 (rook f4→f1).
3. Best move: Nxc3 — knight d5→c3, captures queen. Opponent replies Rxg1 (rook f1→g1, captures queen).
4. Best move: Nxe2+ — knight c3→e2, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kc2 (king c1→c2).
5. Best move: Nxg1 — knight e2→g1, captures rook.

Tactical themes

advantage, fork, master, middlegame, very long. The key move Nxe2+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r5k1/1pN2rpp/2p1b3/2qn1p2/p1P2R2/P1QR2P1/1P2P1BP/2K5 w - - 2 25

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