Chess Puzzle #C2zxx — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1506 · Intermediate · crushing, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king d2; queen e1; rooks g1/g2; knight g3; pawns a3/b4/c3/d4/e3/h3. Black: king h8; queen g5; rooks f3/g8; knight b2; pawns a7/b5/c4/d5/e4/h6. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxe4 — knight g3→e4, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxg2+ — queen g5→g2, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rxg2 (rook g1→g2, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxg2+ — rook g8→g2, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Qe2 (queen e1→e2).
  4. Best move: Rxe2+ — rook g2→e2, captures queen, gives check.

Tactical themes

crushing, long, middlegame. The key move Qxg2+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 6rk/p7/7p/1p1p2q1/1PpPp3/P1P1PrNP/1n1K2R1/4Q1R1 w - - 9 35

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.