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

Rating 1840 · Advanced · equality, fork, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king h1; rooks d2/f1; bishops a3/g2; pawns a2/c3/e4/f4/g3/h2. Black: king b8; rooks d8/h8; bishop c6; knight d7; pawns a7/b6/c7/e6/f7/g6/h6. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nf6 — knight d7→f6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxd8+ — rook d2→d8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rxd8 (rook h8→d8, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Be7 — bishop a3→e7. Opponent replies Rd2 (rook d8→d2).
  4. Best move: Bxf6 — bishop e7→f6, captures knight.

Tactical themes

equality, fork, long, middlegame. The key move Rxd8+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 1k1r3r/p1pn1p2/1pb1p1pp/8/4PP2/B1P3P1/P2R2BP/5R1K b - - 0 24

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