Chess Puzzle #LbbLQ — Advanced, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1946 · Advanced · advantage, long, master, middlegame, pin, quiet move.

Position

White: king g1; queen c1; rooks d1/f1; knight f4; pawns b2/b3/c2/e5/f2/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen g4; rooks a8/f8; bishop h4; pawns a7/c6/c7/e6/f5/g7/h6. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxe6 — knight f4→e6, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: f4 — pawn f5→f4. Opponent replies Nd4 (knight e6→d4).
  3. Best move: f3 — pawn f4→f3. Opponent replies Nxf3 (knight d4→f3, captures pawn).
  4. Best move: Rxf3 — rook f8→f3, captures knight.

Tactical themes

advantage, long, master, middlegame, pin, quiet move. The key move is f4.

Position data

FEN: r4rk1/p1p3p1/2p1p2p/4Pp2/5Nqb/1P6/1PP2PPP/2QR1RK1 w - - 0 24

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.

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