Chess Puzzle #97zE7 — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1423 · Intermediate · advantage, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king c1; queen d3; rooks d1/f1; bishop g5; knight h6; pawns a2/b2/c2/e4/h4. Black: king h8; queen c7; rooks a8/f8; bishop b7; knight g7; pawns a6/b4/d6/e5/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxd6 — queen d3→d6, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxd6 — queen c7→d6, captures queen. Opponent replies Rxd6 (rook d1→d6, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxf1+ — rook f8→f1, captures rook, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, short. The key move Rxf1+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r4r1k/1bq3np/p2p3N/4p1B1/1p2P2P/3Q4/PPP5/2KR1R2 w - - 3 27

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