Chess Puzzle #L7t3R — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1445 · Intermediate · advantage, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king b1; queen f1; rooks d6/h1; bishop g2; knight b5; pawns a2/b2/c3/e4/g3/h4. Black: king g7; queen d7; rooks b8/d8; bishop e6; knight c5; pawns a5/e5/f7/g6/h7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxb5 — queen d7→b5, captures knight. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxb5 — queen f1→b5, captures queen. Opponent replies Rxb5 (rook b8→b5, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxd8 — rook d6→d8, captures rook.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, short. The key move Qxb5 wins material.

Position data

FEN: 1r1r4/3q1pkp/3Rb1p1/pNn1p3/4P2P/2P3P1/PP4B1/1K3Q1R b - - 0 27

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