Chess Puzzle #Au5PX — Advanced, White to move, opening

Rating 1660 · Advanced · equality, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen d1; rooks a1/f1; bishops d3/h4; knights b1/f3; pawns a2/b2/c4/d4/f2/g2/h2. Black: king e8; queen d8; rooks a8/h8; bishops f8/g4; knights c6/f6; pawns a7/b7/d5/e6/f7/g7/h6. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxd4 — knight c6→d4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qa4+ — queen d1→a4, gives check. Opponent replies b5 (pawn b7→b5).
  3. Best move: cxb5 — pawn c4→b5, captures pawn.

Tactical themes

equality, middlegame, short. The key move is Qa4+.

Position data

FEN: r2qkb1r/pp3pp1/2n1pn1p/3p4/2PP2bB/3B1N2/PP3PPP/RN1Q1RK1 b kq - 0 9

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