Chess Puzzle #D4jlX — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1519 · Intermediate · advantage, discovered attack, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king h1; queen e2; rooks a1/f1; bishop a2; knights d4/e4; pawns a3/b2/c3/f3/g2/h3. Black: king h7; queen c7; rooks a8/e8; bishops c8/g7; knights c6/f6; pawns a6/b7/f4/g6/h6. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxd4 — knight c6→d4, captures knight. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nxf6+ — knight e4→f6, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Bxf6 (bishop g7→f6, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Qxe8 — queen e2→e8, captures rook. Opponent replies Qg7 (queen c7→g7).
  4. Best move: cxd4 — pawn c3→d4, captures knight.

Tactical themes

advantage, discovered attack, long, middlegame. The key move Nxf6+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r1b1r3/1pq3bk/p1n2npp/8/3NNp2/P1P2P1P/BP2Q1P1/R4R1K b - - 0 23

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