Chess Puzzle #IgXzo — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1952 · Advanced · defensive move, equality, middlegame, skewer, very long.

Position

White: king d2; queen e2; rooks a1/h1; bishop d3; pawns a3/c2/c3/d4/e5/f3/g3. Black: king e8; queen h4; rooks a8/h8; bishop d7; knight c6; pawns a7/b7/c7/d5/e6/f7/g7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qg5+ — queen h4→g5, gives check. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: f4 — pawn f3→f4. Opponent replies Rxh1 (rook h8→h1, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Rxh1 — rook a1→h1, captures rook. Opponent replies Qxg3 (queen g5→g3, captures pawn).
  4. Best move: Rh8+ — rook h1→h8, gives check. Opponent replies Ke7 (king e8→e7).
  5. Best move: Rxa8 — rook h8→a8, captures rook.

Tactical themes

defensive move, equality, middlegame, skewer, very long. The key move is f4.

Position data

FEN: r3k2r/pppb1pp1/2n1p3/3pP3/3P3q/P1PB1PP1/2PKQ3/R6R b kq - 0 15

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