Chess Puzzle #AAxhk — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2203 · Expert · attraction, crushing, discovered attack, kingside attack, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen c2; rooks a1/f3; knight f7; pawns a2/a4/e5/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen e6; rooks b8/d4; bishop g5; pawns a6/c6/d5/g7/h6. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rf8 — rook b8→f8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nxg5 — knight f7→g5, captures bishop. Opponent replies hxg5 (pawn h6→g5, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Rxf8+ — rook f3→f8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kxf8 (king g8→f8, captures rook).
  4. Best move: Qc5+ — queen c2→c5, gives check.

Tactical themes

attraction, crushing, discovered attack, kingside attack, long, middlegame. The key move Rxf8+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 1r4k1/5Np1/p1p1q2p/3pP1b1/P2r4/5R2/P1Q3PP/R5K1 b - - 0 25

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