Chess Puzzle #87lQU — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1456 · Intermediate · advantage, fork, middlegame, very long.

Position

White: king g1; queen c2; rooks c1/e1; bishop b1; knight e5; pawns a2/b2/c3/d4/f3/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen e7; rooks a8/e8; knights b6/g3; pawns a7/b7/c6/d5/f7/g6/h6. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxg6 — knight e5→g6, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxe1+ — queen e7→e1, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rxe1 (rook c1→e1, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxe1+ — rook e8→e1, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kf2 (king g1→f2).
  4. Best move: Re2+ — rook e1→e2, gives check. Opponent replies Qxe2 (queen c2→e2, captures rook).
  5. Best move: Nxe2 — knight g3→e2, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, fork, middlegame, very long. The key move Qxe1+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r3r1k1/pp2qp2/1np3pp/3pN3/3P4/2P2PnP/PPQ3P1/1BR1R1K1 w - - 1 19

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