Chess Puzzle #8mJxO — Intermediate, Black to move, opening

Rating 1547 · Intermediate · advantage, master, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen b3; rooks a1/f1; bishop e2; knights c3/f3; pawns a5/b2/c4/d4/e3/f2/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen d6; rooks a8/f8; bishop c8; knights e4/g4; pawns a7/b7/c6/d5/e6/f5/g7/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: h3 — pawn h2→h3. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Nd2 — knight e4→d2. Opponent replies hxg4 (pawn h3→g4, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Nxb3 — knight d2→b3, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, master, middlegame, short. The key move is Nd2.

Position data

FEN: r1b2rk1/pp4pp/2pqp3/P2p1p2/2PPn1n1/1QN1PN2/1P2BPPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 15

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