Chess Puzzle #7Rkd1 — Intermediate, Black to move, opening

Rating 1552 · Intermediate · advantage, middlegame, pin, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen d1; rooks a1/f1; bishop g3; knights c3/e5; pawns a2/b2/c4/d5/e4/f2/g2/h2. Black: king c8; queen d7; rooks d8/h8; bishops c5/e2; knights g8/h5; pawns a7/b7/c6/d6/f7/g5/h6. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxe2 — queen d1→e2, captures bishop. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Nxg3 — knight h5→g3, captures bishop. Opponent replies hxg3 (pawn h2→g3, captures knight).
  3. Best move: dxe5 — pawn d6→e5, captures knight.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, pin, short. The key move Nxg3 wins material.

Position data

FEN: 2kr2nr/pp1q1p2/2pp3p/2bPN1pn/2P1P3/2N3B1/PP2bPPP/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 14

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