Chess Puzzle #AwQ3O — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1593 · Intermediate · advantage, endgame, fork, very long.

Position

White: king g3; rook d1; bishop c2; knight e3; pawns a2/f2/h3. Black: king g8; queen c6; rook b2; pawns a5/c4/f6/f7/h7. Black is ahead by 5 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxc2 — rook b2→c2, captures bishop. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rd8+ — rook d1→d8, gives check. Opponent replies Kg7 (king g8→g7).
  3. Best move: Nf5+ — knight e3→f5, gives check. Opponent replies Kg6 (king g7→g6).
  4. Best move: Ne7+ — knight f5→e7, gives check. Opponent replies Kh6 (king g6→h6).
  5. Best move: Nxc6 — knight e7→c6, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, endgame, fork, very long. The key move is Rd8+.

Position data

FEN: 6k1/5p1p/2q2p2/p7/2p5/4N1KP/PrB2P2/3R4 b - - 3 31

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