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

Rating 1417 · Intermediate · advantage, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king c1; queen c4; rooks d1/d3; knight f3; pawns a2/c3/e3/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen c7; rooks a8/e8; knight c6; pawns a7/b7/e5/f7/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: e4 — pawn e5→e4. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rd7 — rook d3→d7. Opponent replies Re7 (rook e8→e7).
  3. Best move: Rxc7 — rook d7→c7, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, short. The key move is Rd7.

Position data

FEN: r3r1k1/ppq2pp1/2n4p/4p3/2Q5/2PRPN2/P5PP/2KR4 b - - 3 19

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.