Chess Puzzle #J8gea — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1530 · Intermediate · advantage, hanging piece, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; rooks a1/c7; bishops d3/h6; knight g5; pawns b2/b3/d4/e5/f2/g2/h2. Black: king g8; rooks c8/f8; bishops b4/c6; knight g7; pawns a7/b7/d5/e6/f7/g6/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxe6 — knight g5→e6, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Nxe6 — knight g7→e6, captures knight. Opponent replies Rxc8 (rook c7→c8, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Rxc8 — rook f8→c8, captures rook.

Tactical themes

advantage, hanging piece, middlegame, short. The key move Nxe6 wins material.

Position data

FEN: 2r2rk1/ppR2pnp/2b1p1pB/3pP1N1/1b1P4/1P1B4/1P3PPP/R5K1 w - - 6 21

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