Chess Puzzle #6balH — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1505 · Intermediate · crushing, long, middlegame, pin.

Position

White: king g1; queen h5; rooks a1/g3; bishop h6; knight f3; pawns a2/b2/e5/f2/g2/h4. Black: king h7; queen d8; rooks c4/f8; bishop e7; knight b6; pawns a5/d5/e6/f7/g7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: gxh6 — pawn g7→h6, captures bishop. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Ng5+ — knight f3→g5, gives check. Opponent replies Bxg5 (bishop e7→g5, captures knight).
  3. Best move: hxg5 — pawn h4→g5, captures bishop. Opponent replies Qxg5 (queen d8→g5, captures pawn).
  4. Best move: Rxg5 — rook g3→g5, captures queen.

Tactical themes

crushing, long, middlegame, pin. The key move is Ng5+.

Position data

FEN: 3q1r2/4bppk/1n2p2B/p2pP2Q/2r4P/5NR1/PP3PP1/R5K1 b - - 0 21

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