Chess Puzzle #A1ilu — Advanced, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1659 · Advanced · crushing, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen f6; rooks a1/f1; bishops a3/d3; pawns a2/c2/c4/e5/f2/g2/h2. Black: king e8; queen c8; rooks a8/g8; bishop b7; knight g5; pawns a7/b6/c5/e6/f7/g6/h6. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: f4 — pawn f2→f4. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qc6 — queen c8→c6. Opponent replies Rf2 (rook f1→f2).
  3. Best move: Nh3+ — knight g5→h3, gives check. Opponent replies Kf1 (king g1→f1).
  4. Best move: Nxf2 — knight h3→f2, captures rook.

Tactical themes

crushing, long, middlegame. The key move is Qc6.

Position data

FEN: r1q1k1r1/pb3p2/1p2pQpp/2p1P1n1/2P5/B2B4/P1P2PPP/R4RK1 w q - 4 20

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