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

Rating 1598 · Intermediate · advantage, middlegame, short, trapped piece.

Position

White: king c1; queen h3; rooks d1/h1; bishop e3; knight c3; pawns a2/b2/c2/e4/f2/g4. Black: king f7; queen c8; rooks a8/f8; bishops b7/g7; pawns a7/b6/e5/e7/g6/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxh7 — queen h3→h7, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Rh8 — rook f8→h8. Opponent replies Qxh8 (queen h7→h8, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Bxh8 — bishop g7→h8, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, short, trapped piece. The key move is Rh8.

Position data

FEN: r1q2r2/pb2pkbp/1p4p1/4p3/4P1P1/2N1B2Q/PPP2P2/2KR3R w - - 2 20

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