Chess Puzzle #AmRED — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1535 · Intermediate · crushing, endgame, long, pin.

Position

White: king f1; queen h5; rook e5; bishop d5; pawns a2/c3/d4/g2/h4. Black: king b8; queen d6; rook g3; bishop b2; pawns a7/b7/c6/e7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: cxd5 — pawn c6→d5, captures bishop. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qe8+ — queen h5→e8, gives check. Opponent replies Kc7 (king b8→c7).
  3. Best move: Rxe7+ — rook e5→e7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kb6 (king c7→b6).
  4. Best move: Re6 — rook e7→e6.

Tactical themes

crushing, endgame, long, pin. The key move Rxe7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 1k6/pp2p3/2pq4/3BR2Q/3P3P/2P3r1/Pb4P1/5K2 b - - 0 26

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.

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