Chess Puzzle #KkI2D — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1531 · Intermediate · advantage, middlegame, short, trapped piece.

Position

White: king c1; queen c2; rooks g1/g3; knight g5; pawns a2/c3/c4/d4/e3/f2/h2. Black: king g8; queen h4; rooks a8/f8; bishop c8; knight f6; pawns a7/b7/c6/e6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: g6 — pawn g7→g6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rh3 — rook g3→h3. Opponent replies Qxh3 (queen h4→h3, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Nxh3 — knight g5→h3, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, short, trapped piece. The key move is Rh3.

Position data

FEN: r1b2rk1/pp3ppp/2p1pn2/6N1/2PP3q/2P1P1R1/P1Q2P1P/2K3R1 b - - 9 17

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