Chess Puzzle #KMlo5 — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1500 · Intermediate · advantage, middlegame, short, trapped piece.

Position

White: king g1; queen d2; rooks c1/e1; bishop e3; knights f3/g3; pawns a4/b3/c2/f2/g2/h3. Black: king e8; queen e4; rooks b8/h8; bishops b7/e7; knight f6; pawns a6/b4/d6/e6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qg6 — queen e4→g6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nh4 — knight f3→h4. Opponent replies Qxg3 (queen g6→g3, captures knight).
  3. Best move: fxg3 — pawn f2→g3, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, short, trapped piece. The key move is Nh4.

Position data

FEN: 1r2k2r/1b2bppp/p2ppn2/8/Pp2q3/1P2BNNP/2PQ1PP1/2R1R1K1 b k - 1 18

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