Chess Puzzle #L4IEI — Master, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2596 · Master · advantage, deflection, kingside attack, long, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king h1; queen h5; rooks e1/f3; knights e4/g5; pawns a2/b2/d3/f5/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen d4; rooks a8/f8; bishop c8; knight d5; pawns a6/b7/c7/e5/f7/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nf4 — knight d5→f4. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nf6+ — knight e4→f6, gives check. Opponent replies gxf6 (pawn g7→f6, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Qxh6 — queen h5→h6, captures pawn. Opponent replies Bxf5 (bishop c8→f5, captures pawn).
  4. Best move: Ne4 — knight g5→e4.

Tactical themes

advantage, deflection, kingside attack, long, middlegame, sacrifice. The key move is Nf6+.

Position data

FEN: r1b2rk1/1pp2pp1/p6p/3npPNQ/3qN3/3P1R2/PP4PP/4R2K b - - 9 22

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