Chess Puzzle #HVQf6 — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1550 · Intermediate · advantage, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king c1; queen g5; rooks d4/g1; knight c3; pawns a2/b2/c2/f2/f3/h2. Black: king g8; queen c5; rooks a8/f8; bishop d7; pawns a6/b7/d5/e6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxd4 — queen c5→d4, captures rook. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Ne2 — knight c3→e2. Opponent replies g6 (pawn g7→g6).
  3. Best move: Nxd4 — knight e2→d4, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, short. The key move is Ne2.

Position data

FEN: r4rk1/1p1b1ppp/p3p3/2qp2Q1/3R4/2N2P2/PPP2P1P/2K3R1 b - - 5 21

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.

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