Chess Puzzle #F4qIt — Intermediate, White to move, opening

Rating 1416 · Intermediate · advantage, capturing the defender, intermezzo, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen d1; rooks a1/f1; bishops c2/g3; pawns a2/b2/c3/d4/e3/e4/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen g4; rooks a8/f8; bishop c8; knight f6; pawns a4/b5/c6/d6/e5/f7/g7/h6. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxe4 — knight f6→e4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxg4 — queen d1→g4, captures queen. Opponent replies Bxg4 (bishop c8→g4, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Bxe4 — bishop c2→e4, captures knight.

Tactical themes

advantage, capturing the defender, intermezzo, middlegame, short. The key move Qxg4 wins material.

Position data

FEN: r1b2rk1/5pp1/2pp1n1p/1p2p3/p2PP1q1/2P1P1B1/PPB3PP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 17

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