Chess Puzzle #GXR2a — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1508 · Intermediate · advantage, deflection, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king c1; queen e3; rooks e6/g1; bishop d5; pawns a2/b3/c2/e4/f4. Black: king b8; queen h6; rooks f8/h2; knight e5; pawns a6/b7/c7/d6/g6. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxf4 — queen h6→f4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Re8+ — rook e6→e8, gives check. Opponent replies Rxe8 (rook f8→e8, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qxf4 — queen e3→f4, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, deflection, middlegame, short. The key move is Re8+.

Position data

FEN: 1k3r2/1pp5/p2pR1pq/3Bn3/4PP2/1P2Q3/P1P4r/2K3R1 b - - 0 28

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