Chess Puzzle #D9ggD — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1500 · Intermediate · crushing, middlegame, sacrifice, very long.

Position

White: king g1; queen f7; rooks b1/d1; bishop e7; pawns a2/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen a5; rooks a8/e8; bishop c8; pawns a6/b7/d4/g6/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Bf5 — bishop c8→f5. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Bf6 — bishop e7→f6. Opponent replies gxf6 (pawn g7→f6, captures bishop).
  3. Best move: Rxb7 — rook b1→b7, captures pawn. Opponent replies Re1+ (rook e8→e1, gives check).
  4. Best move: Kf2 — king g1→f2. Opponent replies Qxa2+ (queen a5→a2, captures pawn, gives check).
  5. Best move: Qxa2 — queen f7→a2, captures queen.

Tactical themes

crushing, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The key move is Bf6.

Position data

FEN: r1b1r2k/1p2BQpp/p5p1/q7/3p4/8/P5PP/1R1R2K1 b - - 5 23

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