Chess Puzzle #CA4n2 — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1424 · Intermediate · crushing, master, middlegame, queenside attack, short, X-ray attack.

Position

White: king h1; queen g5; rooks a1/d1; pawns a3/b4/e4/f3/g2/h3. Black: king a8; queen a7; rooks d4/h8; knight c4; pawns c6/e6/g7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rhd8 — rook h8→d8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxd8+ — queen g5→d8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rxd8 (rook d4→d8, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxd8+ — rook d1→d8, captures rook, gives check.

Tactical themes

crushing, master, middlegame, queenside attack, short, X-ray attack. The key move Qxd8+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: k6r/q5p1/2p1p3/6Q1/1PnrP3/P4P1P/6P1/R2R3K b - - 1 31

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.