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

Rating 1441 · Intermediate · advantage, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king b2; queen a4; rook a1; bishop e4; knight c3; pawns b3/c2/g2. Black: king b8; queen c7; rook d8; bishop b4; knight e3; pawns a7/c6/e5/f4/g5. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: c5 — pawn c6→c5. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nb5 — knight c3→b5. Opponent replies Qa5 (queen c7→a5).
  3. Best move: Qxa5 — queen a4→a5, captures queen. Opponent replies Bxa5 (bishop b4→a5, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Rxa5 — rook a1→a5, captures bishop.

Tactical themes

advantage, long, middlegame. The key move is Nb5.

Position data

FEN: 1k1r4/p1q5/2p5/4p1p1/Qb2Bp2/1PN1n3/1KP3P1/R7 b - - 5 37

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