Chess Puzzle #88SSm — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1554 · Intermediate · advantage, master, master vs master, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen h2; rook e1; bishop c3; knight b5; pawns a4/b2/c4/h6. Black: king g8; queen f3; rook d8; bishop h3; knight g3; pawns a5/b6/c7/f7/g6. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxh3 — queen h2→h3, captures bishop. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Ne2+ — knight g3→e2, gives check. Opponent replies Kh2 (king g1→h2).
  3. Best move: Qf2+ — queen f3→f2, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, master, master vs master, middlegame, short. The key move is Ne2+.

Position data

FEN: 3r2k1/2p2p2/1p4pP/pN6/P1P5/2B2qnb/1P5Q/4R1K1 w - - 2 30

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

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