Chess Puzzle #8kvB3 — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1556 · Intermediate · attraction, crushing, long, middlegame, queenside attack, sacrifice.

Position

White: king c1; queen f2; rooks d1/e1; bishops d2/g2; knight c3; pawns b2/c2/d3/f4/g3/h2. Black: king g8; queen d6; rooks b8/f8; bishops a3/e6; knight b6; pawns a7/b7/c7/f7/g7/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Ne4 — knight c3→e4. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Bxb2+ — bishop a3→b2, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxb2 (king c1→b2, captures bishop).
  3. Best move: Na4+ — knight b6→a4, gives check. Opponent replies Kb1 (king b2→b1).
  4. Best move: Qa3 — queen d6→a3.

Tactical themes

attraction, crushing, long, middlegame, queenside attack, sacrifice. The key move Bxb2+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 1r3rk1/ppp2ppp/1n1qb3/8/5P2/b1NP2P1/1PPB1QBP/2KRR3 w - - 0 18

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