Chess Puzzle #C0iRa — Advanced, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1750 · Advanced · equality, kingside attack, middlegame, pin, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen f3; rook a1; bishops b3/c1; knight d2; pawns a2/b2/c2/d3/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen h4; rooks a8/e6; knight f1; pawns a7/b7/c7/d5/f7/g7/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxf1 — queen f3→f1, captures knight. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Re1 — rook e6→e1. Opponent replies Nf3 (knight d2→f3).
  3. Best move: Rxf1+ — rook e1→f1, captures queen, gives check.

Tactical themes

equality, kingside attack, middlegame, pin, short. The key move Rxf1+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r5k1/ppp2ppp/4r3/3p4/7q/1B1P1Q1P/PPPN2P1/R1B2nK1 w - - 0 20

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.