Chess Puzzle #9FGQQ — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1435 · Intermediate · advantage, discovered attack, kingside attack, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king h1; queen b3; rooks a1/e1; bishop a2; knight e4; pawns a5/b2/c3/d3/f2/f3/h2. Black: king g8; queen f5; rooks a8/e7; bishop f6; knight e5; pawns a7/b7/c7/f4/f7/g7/h6. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxf3 — knight e5→f3, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nxf6+ — knight e4→f6, captures bishop, gives check. Opponent replies Qxf6 (queen f5→f6, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Rxe7 — rook e1→e7, captures rook. Opponent replies Qxe7 (queen f6→e7, captures rook).
  4. Best move: Qxb7 — queen b3→b7, captures pawn.

Tactical themes

advantage, discovered attack, kingside attack, long, middlegame. The key move Nxf6+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r5k1/ppp1rpp1/5b1p/P3nq2/4Np2/1QPP1P2/BP3P1P/R3R2K b - - 2 19

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