Chess Puzzle #8T2M8 — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1500 · Intermediate · crushing, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen e2; rooks e1/f1; knight h4; pawns a3/b2/c2/f2/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen d5; rooks f6/f8; bishop h6; pawns a5/b5/d4/e3/h5. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nf3 — knight h4→f3. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Rxf3 — rook f6→f3, captures knight. Opponent replies gxf3 (pawn g2→f3, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Rxf3 — rook f8→f3, captures pawn. Opponent replies Qxf3 (queen e2→f3, captures rook).
  4. Best move: Qxf3 — queen d5→f3, captures queen.

Tactical themes

crushing, long, middlegame. The key move Rxf3 wins material.

Position data

FEN: 5rk1/8/5r1b/pp1q3p/3p3N/P3p2P/1PP1QPP1/4RRK1 w - - 0 31

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