Chess Puzzle #HA1jW — Intermediate, Black to move, opening

Rating 1500 · Intermediate · advantage, clearance, fork, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen d1; rooks a1/e1; bishop c1; knight f3; pawns a4/b3/c4/d3/f2/f5/g4/h3. Black: king g8; queen d7; rooks b8/f8; bishop d6; knight h7; pawns a5/b4/c5/c7/e5/f7/g6/h6. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxe5 — knight f3→e5, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Bxe5 — bishop d6→e5, captures knight. Opponent replies Rxe5 (rook e1→e5, captures bishop).
  3. Best move: Qd4 — queen d7→d4. Opponent replies Qe1 (queen d1→e1).
  4. Best move: Qxa1 — queen d4→a1, captures rook.

Tactical themes

advantage, clearance, fork, long, middlegame. The key move Bxe5 wins material.

Position data

FEN: 1r3rk1/2pq1p1n/3b2pp/p1p1pP2/PpP3P1/1P1P1N1P/5P2/R1BQR1K1 w - - 0 20

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