Chess Puzzle #AhEmm — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1689 · Advanced · advantage, deflection, discovered attack, long, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king h1; queen f3; rooks e1/f1; knight h2; pawns a3/b2/b6/d4/f4. Black: king c8; queen d7; rooks e4/g6; knight h3; pawns b7/c6/d5/f7/g7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxf4 — rook e4→f4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Re8+ — rook e1→e8, gives check. Opponent replies Qxe8 (queen d7→e8, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qxh3+ — queen f3→h3, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Kb8 (king c8→b8).
  4. Best move: Rxf4 — rook f1→f4, captures rook.

Tactical themes

advantage, deflection, discovered attack, long, middlegame, sacrifice. The key move Qxh3+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 2k5/1p1q1pp1/1Pp3r1/3p4/3PrP2/P4Q1n/1P5N/4RR1K b - - 3 31

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