Chess Puzzle #BU13p — Expert, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 2396 · Expert · advantage, deflection, middlegame, queenside attack, very long.

Position

White: king b1; queen d5; rooks c1/f1; knight g6; pawns a2/b4/c2/g5/h4. Black: king g8; queen c7; rooks c3/c8; pawns a3/d6/e4/f7/h5. White is ahead by 3 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (5 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nh8 — knight g6→h8. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Rxc2 — rook c3→c2, captures pawn. Opponent replies Qxf7+ (queen d5→f7, captures pawn, gives check).
  3. Best move: Qxf7 — queen c7→f7, captures queen. Opponent replies Nxf7 (knight h8→f7, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Rb2+ — rook c2→b2, gives check. Opponent replies Ka1 (king b1→a1).
  5. Best move: Rxc1+ — rook c8→c1, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rxc1 (rook f1→c1, captures rook).
  6. Best move: Kxf7 — king g8→f7, captures knight.

Tactical themes

advantage, deflection, middlegame, queenside attack, very long. The key move Rxc1+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 2r3k1/2q2p2/3p2N1/3Q2Pp/1P2p2P/p1r5/P1P5/1KR2R2 w - - 1 39

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