Chess Puzzle #AGTN8 — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1459 · Intermediate · advantage, deflection, discovered attack, fork, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen f3; rooks a1/f1; bishop c1; knight b1; pawns a2/b2/c3/d4/f2/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen h4; rook f8; bishop b8; knights e4/g4; pawns a6/b5/c5/e6/f7/g7/h5. White is ahead by 2 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxe4 — queen f3→e4, captures knight. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Bh2+ — bishop b8→h2, gives check. Opponent replies Kh1 (king g1→h1).
  3. Best move: Nxf2+ — knight g4→f2, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf2 (rook f1→f2, captures knight).
  4. Best move: Qxe4 — queen h4→e4, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, deflection, discovered attack, fork, long, middlegame. The key move Nxf2+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 1b3rk1/5pp1/p3p3/1pp4p/3Pn1nq/2P2Q1P/PP3PP1/RNB2RK1 w - - 0 18

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