Chess Puzzle #I3yK9 — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1509 · Intermediate · advantage, master, middlegame, sacrifice, short.

Position

White: king g2; queen b2; rooks b1/c1; bishop h3; pawns a2/c5/d3/f2/f3/g3/h4. Black: king g8; queen e6; rooks e7/e8; knight f5; pawns a7/b7/c6/d5/f7/g7/h6. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Re1 — rook c1→e1. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Nxh4+ — knight f5→h4, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies gxh4 (pawn g3→h4, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Qg6+ — queen e6→g6, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, master, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The key move Nxh4+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 4r1k1/pp2rpp1/2p1q2p/2Pp1n2/7P/3P1PPB/PQ3PK1/1RR5 w - - 5 26

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.