Chess Puzzle #DjIVn — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1490 · Intermediate · crushing, exposed king, fork, long, middlegame, skewer.

Position

White: king g1; queen e2; rooks a1/f1; bishops a2/c1; knight b7; pawns a3/b2/c3/e5/f4/g2. Black: king e7; queen h4; rooks a8/h8; pawns a6/b5/c4/d7/e6/f7/g4/g7. White is ahead by 7 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: g3 — pawn g2→g3. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qh1+ — queen h4→h1, gives check. Opponent replies Kf2 (king g1→f2).
  3. Best move: Rh2+ — rook h8→h2, gives check. Opponent replies Ke3 (king f2→e3).
  4. Best move: Rxe2+ — rook h2→e2, captures queen, gives check.

Tactical themes

crushing, exposed king, fork, long, middlegame, skewer. The key move Rxe2+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r6r/1N1pkpp1/p3p3/1p2P3/2p2Ppq/P1P5/BP2Q1P1/R1B2RK1 w - - 2 26

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