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

Rating 1615 · Advanced · clearance, crushing, deflection, fork, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king f2; queen g1; rooks a1/g6; bishop h5; pawns a2/b2/c3/f4/h2. Black: king g8; queen c7; rooks a8/f8; bishop c8; pawns a7/b6/d5/e5/f5/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Kh7 — king g8→h7. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxh6+ — rook g6→h6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies gxh6 (pawn g7→h6, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qg6+ — queen g1→g6, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king h7→h8).
  4. Best move: Qxh6+ — queen g6→h6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Qh7 (queen c7→h7).
  5. Best move: Qxf8+ — queen h6→f8, captures rook, gives check.

Tactical themes

clearance, crushing, deflection, fork, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The key move Rxh6+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r1b2rk1/p1q3p1/1p4Rp/3ppp1B/5P2/2P5/PP3K1P/R5Q1 b - - 1 23

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