Chess Puzzle #EYDW8 — Master, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 2430 · Master · crushing, exposed king, middlegame, very long.

Position

White: king h1; queen c6; rooks d1/f1; knight c3; pawns a2/b2/d4. Black: king e7; queen g3; rooks a8/h8; pawns a7/c4/e6/f6/f7/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (5 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rf3 — rook f1→f3. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qh4+ — queen g3→h4, gives check. Opponent replies Kg2 (king h1→g2).
  3. Best move: Rag8+ — rook a8→g8, gives check. Opponent replies Kf1 (king g2→f1).
  4. Best move: Qh1+ — queen h4→h1, gives check. Opponent replies Kf2 (king f1→f2).
  5. Best move: Rg2+ — rook g8→g2, gives check. Opponent replies Ke3 (king f2→e3).
  6. Best move: Qh6+ — queen h1→h6, gives check.

Tactical themes

crushing, exposed king, middlegame, very long. The key move is Qh4+.

Position data

FEN: r6r/p3kp1p/2Q1pp2/8/2pP4/2N3q1/PP6/3R1R1K w - - 1 20

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