Chess Puzzle #KrS7N — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1546 · Intermediate · advantage, fork, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen c3; rooks b1/e2; knight e3; pawns a4/c5/d4/f2/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen g5; rooks f6/f8; knight c6; pawns a7/d5/e4/g7/h5. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qb3 — queen c3→b3. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Nxd4 — knight c6→d4, captures pawn. Opponent replies Qxd5+ (queen b3→d5, captures pawn, gives check).
  3. Best move: Qxd5 — queen g5→d5, captures queen. Opponent replies Nxd5 (knight e3→d5, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Nxe2+ — knight d4→e2, captures rook, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, fork, long, middlegame. The key move Nxe2+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 5rk1/p5p1/2n2r2/2Pp2qp/P2Pp3/2Q1N2P/4RPP1/1R4K1 w - - 7 30

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