Chess Puzzle #EC71G — Master, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2420 · Master · collinear move, crushing, discovered attack, discovered check, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king e1; queen f3; rooks g1/g3; bishops b2/d3; pawns a3/b4/c4/d5/e4/f2/h4. Black: king h7; queen d7; rooks a8/g8; knights b3/f4; pawns a4/b7/c7/d6/e5/f7/h6. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (5 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qe7 — queen d7→e7. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxf4 — queen f3→f4, captures knight. Opponent replies exf4 (pawn e5→f4, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rg7+ — rook g3→g7, gives check. Opponent replies Rxg7 (rook g8→g7, captures rook).
  4. Best move: Rxg7+ — rook g1→g7, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king h7→h8).
  5. Best move: Rxf7+ — rook g7→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Qe5 (queen e7→e5).
  6. Best move: Bxe5+ — bishop b2→e5, captures queen, gives check.

Tactical themes

collinear move, crushing, discovered attack, discovered check, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The key move Rxg7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r5r1/1ppq1p1k/3p3p/3Pp3/pPP1Pn1P/Pn1B1QR1/1B3P2/4K1R1 b - - 2 27

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