Chess Puzzle #8CtMG — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1890 · Advanced · clearance, equality, long, middlegame, pin, queenside attack.

Position

White: king c1; queen e2; rooks d4/h1; bishop c4; pawns a2/b2/c3/d5/f2/g5/h4. Black: king c8; queen d7; rooks d8/h8; bishop g6; knight e7; pawns a7/b7/c7/f4/g7/h5. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rhf8 — rook h8→f8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: d6 — pawn d5→d6. Opponent replies Nc6 (knight e7→c6).
  3. Best move: Be6 — bishop c4→e6. Opponent replies Rfe8 (rook f8→e8).
  4. Best move: Bxd7+ — bishop e6→d7, captures queen, gives check.

Tactical themes

clearance, equality, long, middlegame, pin, queenside attack. The key move Bxd7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 2kr3r/pppqn1p1/6b1/3P2Pp/2BR1p1P/2P5/PP2QP2/2K4R b - - 0 19

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