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

Rating 1500 · Intermediate · advantage, long, middlegame, trapped piece.

Position

White: king g1; queen g3; rooks a1/f1; bishop c4; pawns a2/b2/c2/d3/d5/e5. Black: king c8; queen e2; rooks d8/h8; knight b8; pawns b6/b7/c7/d6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: dxe5 — pawn d6→e5, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qh3+ — queen g3→h3, gives check. Opponent replies Nd7 (knight b8→d7).
  3. Best move: Rf2 — rook f1→f2. Opponent replies Qxf2+ (queen e2→f2, captures rook, gives check).
  4. Best move: Kxf2 — king g1→f2, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, long, middlegame, trapped piece. The key move is Qh3+.

Position data

FEN: 1nkr3r/1pp2ppp/1p1p4/3PP3/2B5/3P2Q1/PPP1q3/R4RK1 b - - 0 18

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