Chess Puzzle #Ecb5z — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1476 · Intermediate · advantage, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen e2; rook d1; bishops b2/g2; knight e5; pawns a2/b3/c2/f2/g3/h2. Black: king g8; queen c7; rook c8; bishop b7; knights c6/f8; pawns a7/b6/c5/e6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Ng6 — knight f8→g6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rd7 — rook d1→d7. Opponent replies Qxd7 (queen c7→d7, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Nxd7 — knight e5→d7, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, short. The key move is Rd7.

Position data

FEN: 2r2nk1/pbq2ppp/1pn1p3/2p1N3/8/1P4P1/PBP1QPBP/3R2K1 b - - 0 19

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