Chess Puzzle #Ixmi6 — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1403 · Intermediate · advantage, capturing the defender, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king h1; queen d3; rooks c1/f1; bishop g1; knight d2; pawns b2/d4/e5/f4/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen b6; rooks a8/c8; bishop f8; knight f5; pawns a4/b3/e6/f7/g7/h6. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qa6 — queen b6→a6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxa6 — queen d3→a6, captures queen. Opponent replies Rxa6 (rook a8→a6, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxc8 — rook c1→c8, captures rook.

Tactical themes

advantage, capturing the defender, middlegame, short. The key move Qxa6 wins material.

Position data

FEN: r1r2bk1/5pp1/1q2p2p/4Pn2/p2P1P2/1p1Q3P/1P1N2P1/2R2RBK b - - 3 31

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.