Chess Puzzle #ELXWc — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen h3; rooks a1/e5; knight b1; pawns a2/b2/e6/f2/g2/h2. Black: king h7; queen d8; rooks a8/f8; bishop e7; knight d5; pawns a7/b7/c7/f5/g5/h6. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Bf6 — bishop e7→f6. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxf5+ — queen h3→f5, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king h7→h8).
3. Best move: Rxd5 — rook e5→d5, captures knight.

Tactical themes

equality, middlegame, short. The key move Qxf5+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r2q1r2/ppp1b2k/4P2p/3nRpp1/8/7Q/PP3PPP/RN4K1 b - - 0 20

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.