Chess Puzzle #C3OjL — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1678 · Advanced · advantage, attraction, kingside attack, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen d4; rooks a1/f5; knights f6/h4; pawns a2/b2/c2/e5/g3. Black: king g8; queen h6; rooks a8/f8; bishop b7; knight c6; pawns a7/b6/c7/d7/f7/g7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: gxf6 — pawn g7→f6, captures knight. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qg4+ — queen d4→g4, gives check. Opponent replies Qg7 (queen h6→g7).
  3. Best move: Qxg7+ — queen g4→g7, captures queen, gives check. Opponent replies Kxg7 (king g8→g7, captures queen).
  4. Best move: exf6+ — pawn e5→f6, captures pawn, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, attraction, kingside attack, long, middlegame. The key move Qxg7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r4rk1/pbpp1pp1/1pn2N1q/4PR2/3Q3N/6P1/PPP5/R5K1 b - - 9 22

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