Chess Puzzle #BPq05 — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1556 · Intermediate · advantage, endgame, short, skewer.

Position

White: king d2; rook h1; bishop e2; pawns a2/b2/c5/e3/e5/g2/g3. Black: king f5; rook a8; bishop e6; pawns a7/b7/c6/d5/e4/e7/g5. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rf8 — rook a8→f8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rf1+ — rook h1→f1, gives check. Opponent replies Kxe5 (king f5→e5, captures pawn).
  3. Best move: Rxf8 — rook f1→f8, captures rook.

Tactical themes

advantage, endgame, short, skewer. The key move is Rf1+.

Position data

FEN: r7/pp2p3/2p1b3/2PpPkp1/4p3/4P1P1/PP1KB1P1/7R b - - 4 24

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