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

Rating 2516 · Master · crushing, long, master, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king g1; queen g3; rooks b7/e1; knight f4; pawns f2/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen a2; rooks d2/d8; bishop f7; pawns a5/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: R2d7 — rook d2→d7. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nh5 — knight f4→h5. Opponent replies Bxh5 (bishop f7→h5, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Rxd7 — rook b7→d7, captures rook. Opponent replies Rxd7 (rook d8→d7, captures rook).
  4. Best move: Qb8+ — queen g3→b8, gives check.

Tactical themes

crushing, long, master, middlegame, sacrifice. The key move is Nh5.

Position data

FEN: 3r2k1/1R3bpp/8/p7/5N2/6QP/q2r1PP1/4R1K1 b - - 0 25

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