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

Rating 1401 · Intermediate · advantage, kingside attack, long, middlegame, pin.

Position

White: king g1; queen e2; rooks e1/f7; bishop d5; pawns a2/b2/c2/d3/g3/h2. Black: king g8; queen g6; rooks a8/e8; knight e5; pawns a7/b7/c5/d4/g7/h6. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxf7 — knight e5→f7, captures rook. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxe8+ — queen e2→e8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rxe8 (rook a8→e8, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxe8+ — rook e1→e8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kh7 (king g8→h7).
  4. Best move: Be4 — bishop d5→e4.

Tactical themes

advantage, kingside attack, long, middlegame, pin. The key move Qxe8+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r3r1k1/pp3Rp1/6qp/2pBn3/3p4/3P2P1/PPP1Q2P/4R1K1 b - - 0 22

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