Chess Puzzle #Cw4zn — Master, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2466 · Master · advantage, intermezzo, long, middlegame, pin, sacrifice.

Position

White: king f2; queen e3; rooks h1/h4; bishops a2/f4; pawns a3/b2/c3/d3/g2. Black: king h7; queen g6; rooks a8/f8; bishop g4; knight a5; pawns b6/b7/c7/d6/f7/h5. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rae8 — rook a8→e8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxh5+ — rook h4→h5, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Bxh5 (bishop g4→h5, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qf3 — queen e3→f3. Opponent replies Kg7 (king h7→g7).
  4. Best move: Rxh5 — rook h1→h5, captures bishop.

Tactical themes

advantage, intermezzo, long, middlegame, pin, sacrifice. The key move Rxh5+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r4r2/1pp2p1k/1p1p2q1/n6p/5BbR/P1PPQ3/BP3KP1/7R b - - 1 26

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