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

Rating 2517 · Master · crushing, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen e4; rooks c1/d7; knights b3/g5; pawns b2/e5/f2/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen b6; rooks b8/c8; bishop a6; knight a2; pawns a7/c6/e6/f7/g6/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxc1 — knight a2→c1, captures rook. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qh4 — queen e4→h4. Opponent replies h5 (pawn h7→h5).
  3. Best move: Nxf7 — knight g5→f7, captures pawn.

Tactical themes

crushing, middlegame, short. The key move is Qh4.

Position data

FEN: 1rr3k1/p2R1p1p/bqp1p1p1/4P1N1/4Q3/1N6/nP3PPP/2R3K1 b - - 1 20

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