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

Rating 1540 · Intermediate · advantage, fork, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen d3; rook g3; bishops b1/b2; knight e5; pawns a3/b3/d4/f4/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen f6; rook c8; bishops b7/d6; knight d5; pawns a6/b5/e6/f7/g7/h6. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxf4 — knight d5→f4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qh7+ — queen d3→h7, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king g8→f8).
  3. Best move: Nd7+ — knight e5→d7, gives check. Opponent replies Ke7 (king f8→e7).
  4. Best move: Nxf6 — knight d7→f6, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, fork, long, middlegame. The key move is Qh7+.

Position data

FEN: 2r3k1/1b3pp1/p2bpq1p/1p1nN3/3P1P2/PP1Q2R1/1B4PP/1B4K1 b - - 2 27

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